Warsaw Insider #183 November 2011

Relics of the PRL page 16

Legia Warszawa

Handmade Chocolate

page 21

page 26

Travel

Zamość

pages 22-25

INDEKS 334901 ISSN:1643-1723

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A LOOK INTO THE...

MIRÓW pages 10-15

Welcome to Porto Praga !

Porto Praga. The largest selection of fresh ďŹ sh in town.

Recommended by Chef Marcin Wojtczak.

Opening hours:

Monday - Saturday 12:00-01:00 Sunday 12:00-22:00

Porto Praga

Global Food & Connoisseur Bar ul. Stefana Okrzei 23, 03-715 Warszawa

Tel. (+48) 22 698 50 01, 22 698 50 10 email: ofďŹ ce@portopraga.pl

www.portopraga.pl

to our readers

NOVEMBER 2011

Novem-brrr!

PHOTOGRAPH TOP KEVIN DEMARIA. BOTTOM FROM LEFT COURTESY OF BRATNIA SZATNIA, KEVIN DEMARIA, GRZEGORZ OLEKSIAK

F

irst things first, and one thing you’re going to need this November is a GSH. I’m not jibbering in dating lingo there, rather my own private code for Gloves, Scarf, Hat; indeed, you don’t need a crystal ball to recognize we’re in for a rough ride this winter. But this is no time to be toasting yourself under an electric blanket – Warsaw at the tail of the year might look foggy, soggy and a little malnutritioned, but that’s all just an elaborate facade. The city is positively alive, and to reflect that we’ve got an issue croaking at the seams with high interest topics.

To kick off, literally, the dutiful Dave Ingham has been down Legia – and survived – while Kit F. Chung has been checking the sweeter side of town. Resident super-mum, Gill B-B, finds cooking with kids isn’t a recipe for disaster, while I’ve been trolling the streets of Mirów to bring you the latest of our walks; but that’s not before returning from Zamość with a certain Mr. Swindells. Of course, bookending all that, the Insider wouldn’t be the Insider if we didn’t offer you the usual no-prisoners account of Warsaw’s restaurants, pubs, clubs and shops.

On a parting note, I’d like to wish a warm farewell to outgoing editor Paula Rewald. She’s done a splendid job of sailing the ship over the last year, and leaves with fondest regards from all at HQ. So... that leaves the steering wheel in my hands. To be honest, that came so out-the-blue I’ve not had time to pen the manifesto each new editor traditionally arrives with. In fact, I’m not sure I even have one, other than to maintain the Insider’s status as Poland’s number one English-language magazine. And no, that’s not my own prejudiced opinion, rather the landslide result of a poll held by the Professionals in Warsaw. As recognition goes, that’s not bad at all – here’s to keeping that crown.

Alex Webber

awebber@valkea.com

Insider’s TOP 3 Editor Agnieszka Jęksa has lived in Warsaw since Day 1, seeing the Palace of Culture (PKiN) evolve from a symbol of Soviet domination, to a breeding ground for arts and culture: “With the trauma of communism out of the way, I think PKiN has discovered a flamboyant energy that manifests itself in the number of clubs, theaters and festivals inside...”

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Bratnia Szatnia An intimate artistic mess in the former cloakroom of the Studio Theatre. I like the cheerful geniality of this cafe/bar, as well as the setting under the tall, high ceilings of this soc-realist monster.

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Kinoteka One of my favorite cinemas.

While the cinema halls are modern, what I love best is the trashy design of this place: especially those antique theatre masks that hang from the plush, red walls.

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Cafe Kulturalna Hipsters were hanging out here even before they became known as hipsters. Popular with theater people in between performances, there are also alternative concerts and a dance floor that goes from dusk till dawn.

www.warsawinsider.pl

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what’s inside:

NOVEMBER 2011 LISTINGS

Arts and Entertainment

Eating Out

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FEATURES

27 I nsider’s Pick India Curry 38 Hot Find Bistecca 52 Top Shop Wine of Dreams

COLUMNS

10 S trolling the Neighborhood Mirów The brave rebirth of a once dystopian neighborhood

01 T he Editor Writes Opening words from our editor-in-chief, as well as a palatial Top 3 from editor Agnieszka Jęksa

Going Out

18 Books Ostańce Warsaw’s prewar buildings rediscovered

16 R elics of the PRL Everyday remnants of Commie Poland

Till You Drop

21 S ports Legia Warszawa Glory days return for Warsaw football

20 Mum’s The Word Getting the kids into the kitchen is not such a disaster

Lifestyle

22 Travel Zamość A renaissance pearl 54 Bar Profile Graham Roose of Legends only 250 kilometers from Warsaw Central 80 Book Excerpt A chapter from the 3rd edition of Laura Klos Sokol’s book 26 Food Handmade Chocolate Not-sosinful sweets to tempt and tease Shortcuts to Poland

Editor-in-chief

Art Director

Editor

Editorial Intern

Publisher Advertising Manager Distribution Manager

Alex Webber awebber@valkea.com Kevin Demaria kdemaria@valkea.com Agnieszka Jęksa ajeksa@valkea.com Karolina Kalinowska Morten Lindholm mlindholm@valkea.com Karol Kosiorek kkosiorek@valkea.com Krzysztof Wiliński kwilinski@valkea.com

Contributors: Bartosz Bajerski Gill Boelman-Burrows Kit F. Chung David Ingham Anna J. Kutor Paula Rewald Laura Klos Sokol Agnieszka Le Nart

53 Insider’s Pick Sheesha 61 Insider’s Pick Red Onion

65 Insider’s Pick Black Star Studio 77 Classifieds 78 Warsaw Map and Street Index

Subscription 12 editions of the Insider zł. 99 (inc. VAT) in Poland. Orders can be placed with amichalik@valkea.com, tel. 22 678 9912

Printed by Zakłady Graficzne TAURUS tel. 022 783-6000

VALKEA MEDIA S.A., ul. Elbląska 15/17, Warszawa, Poland; tel. (48 22) 639 8567; fax (48 22) 639 8569; e-mail: insider@warsawinsider.pl Information is accurate as of press time. We apologise for any errors, but cannot be held responsible for inaccuracies. All information ©2011 Warsaw Insider.

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COVER ILLUSTRATION MICHAŁ MISZKURKA, PHOTOGRAPH BY ANNA J. KUTOR

05 Insider’s Pick Innocent Sorcerers Festival 06 Calendar Music, art and happenings around town 08 Museums Top cultural institutes 08 Insider’s Pick Wolfgang Tillmans 09 The Screening Room Film openings

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ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT Museums, Galleries, Concerts & Events

Insider’s Pick

November 2nd-7th Festival 6th Innocent Sorcerers Festival different locations, www.niewinniczarodzieje.pl

F

irst things first, maybe let’s explain the name. The innocent sorcerers are actually characters drawn from the film of the same name.

Directed by Andrzej Wajda, the ‘sorcerers’ in the film escape the cold reality of ’60s Poland by hanging out in jazz clubs and playing saucy games. The festival is directly inspired by the flick, or more particularly, the brief period of permissiveness and creativity that emerged in this post-Stalinist era.

Noted as the only festival in Poland to celebrate the days of the PRL, Niewinni Czarodzieje seeks to place memories of those times into a

Above: “No, no, don’t wake me up”- Silent Evening in the Sofia restaurant, 2010. modern context – for veterans of those years, it’s a chance to turn back the wheels of time, while for their kids, it’s an occasion to get retro.

This year’s program is as busy as ever, and includes the traditional ‘silent disco’ (fancy dress mandatory), as well as a riverboat concert featuring Tymon Tymański – a cult musician specializing in jazz and rock. Other performers lined-up include Aga Zaryan, Ewa Bem and the prog pop sound of Baaba ft. Gaba Kulka on Nov 6th. Music aside, find a sprawl of other events, including workshops, exhibitions, discussions and screenings held in a diverse set of locations that number the legendary Sofia restaurant, Chwila, 1500m2, and Jaś i Małgosia. All events are free but you will need tickets – pick them up from the Warsaw Rising Museum (ul. Grzybowska 79). For a full schedule, check their web, as well as www.facebook.com/warsawinsider for updates. (AJ)

www.warsawinsider.pl

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 3 THUR

8 TUES

Concert

Concert

Gordon Haskell PKiN Sala Kongresowa, Pl. Defilad 1, tel. 22 656 7299, www.kongresowa.pl Gordon Haskell has played with League of Gentlemen, Quotations from Liverpool, Les Fleur de Lys, Cupid’s Inspiration, Flowerpot Men and more.

Tickets from zł. 60.

30 Seconds to Mars Łódź, Atlas Arena, al. Bandurskiego 7, tel. 42 272 15 05, www.atlasarena.pl Not just easy on the ears, but the eyes too. Why? Jared Leto (Requiem for a Dream) is the lead singer. Along with his brother and Tomo Milicevic, Leto has released three albums, establishing something of a cult reputation in that time.

5 SAT Concert Gaelforce Dance PKiN Sala Kongresowa, Pl. Defilad 1, tel. 22 656 7299, www.kongresowa.pl Known as the Ferrari of Irish dance, Gaelforce arrive in Warsaw with a reputation as the best know Irish dance company in the world.

promote the album, Black and White America, you can still count on hearing the evergreens, such as “American Woman” or “Fly Away”. Tickets are priced from zł. 154 and available at www. eventim.pl.

Concert Pat Metheny Trio PKiN Sala Kongresowa, Pl. Defilad 1, tel. 22 656 7299, www.kongresowa.pl Internationally known for his jazz guitar sound, Pat Metheny has cut his teeth alongside many of the greats: Herbie Hancock, Milton Nascimento and David Bowie.

This time, he’s in Poland accompanied by Larry Grenadier on bass and Bill Stewart on drums.

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Concert Sade Łódź, Atlas Arena, al. Bandurskiego 7, tel. 42 272 1505, www.atlasarena.pl The queen of all senses – Sade Adu – is coming to Poland for the first time in order to promote her latest album: Soldier Of Love. The winner of three Grammy’s and one Brit Award, it’s no surprise to find tickets start at a cool zł. 259.

Book them at www.livenation.pl.

Charity Bazaar

Concert

11 FRI

20 SUN

9 WED Lenny Kravitz Torwar, ul. Łazienkowska 6A, tel.

22 529 8954, www.torwar.cos.pl The European tour will promote 16 new songs arranged, sung and produced by Lenny himself.

While his tour is ostensibly to

in favour of social change’, Blacc’s politically engaged tunes promise a thought provoking night at one of Warsaw’s premier concert venues.

Concert Alloe Blacc Klub Palladium, ul. Złota 9, 22 822 8702, www.palladium.art.pl Described by the artist as ‘music

The 4th International Charity Bazaar al. Jerozolimskie 65/79 (Marriott Hotel) Watch the spouses of Warsaw’s ambassadors in action in this annual multi-cultural market.

The money raised goes towards children and women in need.

ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF ARTISTS EXCEPT OPPOSITE AIDA BY TOMASZ ZAKRZEWSKI, TEATER NA WOLI BY PIOTR WACOWSKI

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EVENT CALENDAR 24 THUR Concert Goran Bregovic performs with “Śląsk” PKiN Sala Kongresowa, Pl. Defilad 1, tel. 22 656 7299, www.kongresowa.pl Once you taste it, you shan’t forget this flamboyant Balkan mix. Ingredients consist of: echoes from Jewish and Gypsy weddings, chants from the Orthodox and Catholic Church, Muslim invocations and... an electric guitar.

Verdi, and still considered one of the most spectacular operas in the world. Written to celebrate the opening of the Suez Canal, it’s still regarded as one of the greatest operas out there.

3RD, 13TH, 27TH Theatre Plays in Teatr na Woli with English Subtitles ul. Kasprzaka 22, tel. 22 632 0005, www.teatrnawoli.pl

Concert The Wombats Klub Stodoła, ul. Batorego 10, tel. 22 825 6031, www.stodola.pl The Liverpool rockers return to Poland having starred in last summer’s Open’er Festival in Gdynia.

This time round, they’re here to promote material from their latest album: This Modern Glitch.

Tickets available from Stodoła.

28 MON

MEDIA PATRONAGE

Opera Aida PKiN Sala Kongresowa, Pl. Defilad 1, tel. 22 656 7299, www.kongresowa.pl One of the last works of Giuseppe

This month check three plays subtitled for the benefit of Englishspeakers. First up is Amazonia on Nov 3, a play inspired by the urban, showbiz jungle. Next up is the more challenging Nasza Klasa on the 13th, a Holocaust drama based on the Jedwabne massacre. Finally, check The Merlin. A Different Story. We’ve got tickets for all and will be handing them out at: www.facebook.com/warsawinsider.

17TH - 27TH Festival 5th Sputnik above Poland Festival different locations, tel. 501 514 499, www.sputnikfestiwal.pl Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the first manned flight into space, Varsovians have the chance to discover the cosmic dimension of Russian cinematography – from classic fantasy movies to sci fi. Also in the program: Eroticism in Russian Film, Action Movies, Caleidoscope of Modern Cinema, Moscow Day, Retrospectives, The Best of Sputnik (review of the best films from the last four years), Little Sputnik for kids, lectures, concerts, meetings, discussions and more. And, for the first time in the festival’s history, you can count on English subtitles. (AJ)

Tel: +48 22 702 10 72

www.warsawinsider.pl

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT museums & galleries Copernicus Science Centre ul. Wybrzeże Kościuszkowskie 20, www.kopernik.org.pl If you thought the Chopin Museum was space age then just wait till you visit this place.

Interactive, witty and surprising, Copernicus allows visitors to experience an earthquake, blast recycable objects into space and become a mystery cracking detective. Galeria BZZZ, designed for children aged up to six, is a must for families, and now also open are ‘The Heavens of Copernicus’, a state-of-the-art planetarium.

CSW ul. Jazdów 2, www.csw.art.pl Situated in a baroque-style castle the center hosts artists from all over the world (Flor Garduno, for instance). The on-site bookshop is of particular interest for artists and intellectuals. Three exhibitions are currently hogging

the limelight: Laboratory of the Future - Act 1 REGRESS PROGRESS: On show: works by Paweł Althamer, Aleksandra Wasilkowska, Cai Guo-Qiang, Simon Leung, raumlaborberlin and exhibitions: Where is the Green Rabbit?, Landscape of the Future and Performing Architecture, Saved by Droog. Dutch group Droog Design bring their wacky combo of environmentally inspired creativity to PL. EPAF 2011 gathers artists from East and West as part of the European Festival of Performance Art. The Fryderyk Chopin Museum in Warsaw Ostrogski Palace, ul. Okólnik 1, www.chopin.museum Recognized as one of the most hi-tech museums in Europe, the world even, computer chip tickets allow visitors the chance to peronalize the museum experience as never before.

Over 5,000 objects are present,

among them his pocket watch, last piano, a lock of hair and even his death mask. And it’s also a bit of a cultural center, with concerts and lectures completing this immersion experience.

Legia Museum ul. Łazienkowska 6, www.legia.com One for the lads. Aside from silverware affirming Legia’s status, find a vast collection of shirts, pennants and paintings (even part of an old floodlight). Pride of place goes to Legia’s favorite son, 80’s super star Kazimierz Deyna. Ongoing: an exhibition untitled Legia on the Continent and a display of letters written to Kazimierz Deyna by his fans.

Pawiak ul. Dzielna 24/26 What was once a Tsarist prison assumed a doubly sinister function under the Nazis. Some 100,000 Polish political prisoners were held here, 37,000 of which

Insider’s Pick Wolfgang Tillmans Zachęta National Art Gallery pl. Małachowskiego 3, www.zacheta.art.pl

C

Above: The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

by Wolfgang Tillmans on display at Zachęta

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onstituting Tillmans art is an intriguing melange of fashion photography and documentary reportage, with subject matter varying from intimate portaits to politically engaging scenes that dwell on homelessness, racism and gay rights.

Whatever he’s got in his cross hairs, Tillmans makes it look easy, with a casual style that appears all so natural. For him, photography is a way of seeing and documenting the constant changes that are part of our reality. Says Tillmans: “To reconcile or address the randomness of the world is the biggest task, to let it all in but still hold course. Color, help me! I’m interested in the mind being stretched by trying to pull this world of pictures together, like a bit of a screw up. Eat this!”

As his gibberish suggests, this guy is as unique as they come. New York-based, he’s also the first photographer and non-English artist to be awarded the Tate Gallery’s Turner Prize (2000), as well as being a recipient of the Kulturpreis der Deutschen Gesselschaft fur Photographie (The Culture Prize of the German Society for Photography). Miss this exhibition at your peril... (AJ)

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were executed on-site. Split in two sections, cells are found on one side, while on the other the full story of the invasion and occupation. Of interest, a brilliant interactive display of wartime Warsaw.

Poster Museum in Wilanów ul. St. Kostki Potockiego 10/16 With a collection that touches the 55,000 mark, here’s the biggest poster museum in the world – and also the original. Art spans the period from 1892 till 2002, and while the majority is Polishorientated, works on display also include those by Dali and Warhol.

The State Ethnographic Museum in Warsaw ul. Kredytowa 1, www.ethnomuseum.website.pl Established in 1888 the 76,000 strong collection here is not the dull ensemble you may anticipate: just check the utterly bizarre straw costumes for proof.

Polish folk costume, glassware, paintings and even Easter eggs feature prominently, but so do other countries. Permanent exhibits have also been granted to Africa, Australia and Oceania and ‘Asian Magical Weapons’.

Museum of Technology Palace of Culture, pl. Defilad 1, www.muzeum-techniki.waw.pl The very opposite of the new-fangled Copernicus Centre, here’s a place that embraces the old way of doing things. On show an eccentric – occasionally ludicrous – collection of junk that ranges from 8-bit computers to a German ‘Enigma’ machine.

This month’s retro opening: 60 years of the FSO (Passenger Car Factory).

Warsaw Rising Museum ul. Grzybowska 79, www.1944.pl Cope with the crowds to discover the definitive story of the Uprising. Exhibits range from a full size replica of a Liberator plane, to a sewer beneath the cinema screen and a slice of bread preserved from 1944. And don’t miss the

THIS PAGE COURTESY OF ZACHĘTA. OPPOSTIE, FROM LEFT, SONY PICTURES, FOCUS FEATURES, FORUM FILM

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MUSEUMS, GALLERIES & MOVIES City of Ruins, a five minute 3D film which takes you on an aerial journey over devastated Warsaw.

Outside, check the Nazi bunker behind the office, the panoramic view tower and the original statue of Prince Poniatowski – now a ripped metal hulk.

Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw ul. Pańska 3, www.artmuseum.pl From Oct 6th onwards view Ryan Gander’s three meter installation Really shiny things that don’t mean anything. Also running will be Sculpture Undone by Alina Szapocznikow (till Jan 8th).

Beginning on the 17th: Partners.

Photographers and Artists circa 1970 - an exhibition telling the story of the relationship between the photographers and the artists, often friends and lovers at the same time.

NEED TO KNOW Museum hours (and prices) change way too often for our liking, so check individual websites for the latest story.

Note that most will choose Monday to close, and that many hold ‘visitor days’ once a week whereby admission prices are waived.

MASSAGE & BEAUTY TREATMENTS DAY SPA WE TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY Take a break in the heart of the city relax in an oriental atmosphere

screening room

opening this month:

4th Dangerous Method (Niebezpieczna metoda) Drama. France, Canada. Dir. David Cronenberg, with Viggo Mortensen, Keira Knightley and Vincent Cassel

Submarine (Moja łódź podwodna) Drama/comedy. USA, UK. Dir. Richard Ayoade, with Craig Roberts, Noah Taylor Tower Heist (Zemsta cieciów) Comedy. USA. Dir. Brett Ratner, with Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy

18th Another Earth Drama. USA. Dir. Mike Cahill, with Robin Taylor and William Mapother Wrecked Drama. USA. Dir. Michael Greenspan, with Adrien Brody

What’s your Number?

(Ilu miałaś facetów?)

Comedy. USA. Dir. Mark Mylod, with Chris Evans and Zachary Quinto

11th Anonymous (Anonimus) Period drama. USA. Dir. Roland Emmerich, with Edward Hogg and Vanessa Redgrave

MEDIA PATRONAGE

25th Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy Thriller. France, UK. Dir. Tomas Alfredson, with Gary Oldman and Colin Firth

The Battle of Warsaw, 1920 (“Bitwa Warszawska 1920”) Kino Femina, al. Solidarności 115, tel. 22 654 4545, www.heliosnet.pl Screenings in English A completely new concept has swept Poland, and about time too: from October onwards you can now watch the latest Polish films with English subtitles in Helios cinemas across the nation. This month it’s the debut of The Battle of Warsaw, 1920, a historical epic based around the events of 1920 when Polish forces vanquished the Red Army at the gates of Warsaw – saving not just Poland from Communism, but the whole of Europe. Keep abreast of what’s in store by checking the Helios website for further details. (AJ)

Give us a call or email us: tel. +48 (0) 22 435 9336

kontakt@ oasisspa.pl www.oasisspa.pl

Królewska 2 st. (corner of Krakowskie, near Bristol Hotel) Open: Mon-Sat 10:00- 21:00

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STROLLING THE NEIGHBORHOOD MIRÓW

A MIRÓW IMAGE

Best known for its bleak, barren blocks, for years Mirów was symbolic of a dystopian society. Today, it's all change, and the area stands on the verge of a time rebirth.

BY ALEX WEBBER

|

PHOTOGRAPHS BY ANNA J. KUTOR

STROLLING THE NEIGHBORHOOD MIRÓW

W

e've done the Old Town, and crossed off Saska Kępa. After six months of strolling Warsaw it's fair to say many of the sexy parts have been covered and cornered. But hey, cute little buildings do not maketh the city. The beauty of Warsaw lies not at face value, but down, deep in. It's there you'll find the stories, and there you'll find the tales. The area of Mirów is one such example. Tired and shaggy in parts, a further investigation reveals an odd, forgotten district blooming back to life.

LUBOMIRSKI PALACE Not a bad starting point; looking stately and imperial, plaques on the pillars assert the Lubomirski Palace as the home of a mysterious organization known as the Business Centre Club. Of course, it’s not for this that the place gets a look. Extensively remodeled in the 18th Century, the Lubomirski warrants a footnote on account of its recent history.

Get this: in 1970 engineers jacked the palace up, placed the thing on rollers, and then rotated it 78 degrees to its current position – all that so it could face the Saxon Axis. Now if that isn’t impressive, then I don’t know what is.

But then so too is the monument out front.

Unveiled last November by President Komorowski and US Ambassador Lee Feinstein, the statue of Tadeusz Kościuszko is somewhat overdue. An icon in both the States and back here, TK earned hero status for defeating the Russians at the Battle of Racławice in 1794. Out in the US, he’s better known for his starring role in the Battle of Saratoga, for designing West Point and his personal crusade against the slave trade. And should the monument look familiar, then that’s because it is – it’s a precise replica of the one erected 101 years ago in Washington D.C.

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ŻELAZNA BRAMA Yet while the Lubomirski Palace looks pretty enough, there’s no pretending its neighbors are.

Consisting of nineteen blocks each fifteen storey’s high, the Żelazna Brama housing estate is pure sixties horror. Looking like a grotesque relic from a lost world the project took seven years to realize, and was finally completed in 1972. Designed to hold a staggering 25,000 people, it was proudly presented as proof of Poland’s post-war resurgence.

The trouble is, it was anything but a masterstroke. Constructed using a similar method employed in the design of WWII bunkers, desperate cost-cutting measures meant it never lived-up to the hype. Polish First Secretary, Władysław Gomułka, allegedly took a keen interest in the progress of Żelazna Brama, and according to some sources urged designers to slash spiraling costs by installing communal bathroom facilities on each floor. While this suggestion was ignored, other short cuts were not – mucky sewage malfunctions became the norm during the first few years, Wa r s a w I n s i d e r : 0 1 - 3 0 N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 1

as were faults with the central heating; in several instances, housing committees were forced to step-in to issue emergency electric heaters to the frozen residents.

While the estate remains an eyesore, its sheer visual malice has been diluted somewhat by the new build around. But that’s not to say Żelazna Brama isn’t without some glories – check out Teatr Capitol (Marszałkowska 115), for instance, in particular the wacky socialist mural by the main entrance. Crane your neck, and you’ll spot one of the few hammer and sickles to survive the iconoclasm that followed the collapse of Communism. Even so, aesthetics clearly came last where Żelazna Brama was involved, and if further proof was required then check the Mermaid statue close to the Lubomirski. Stuck up in ’72 it was – at the time – the only decorative element added to the complex. Looking decrepit and disheveled, she’s the total reverse of the elegant syrenkas found about town.

HALA MIROWSKA Further up are Hala Gwardia and Hala Mirowska, a pair of identical brick buildings completed in 1901.

While the front façade of Hala Mirowska may have had a brush-up, you wouldn’t tell so approaching it from the back of ul. Ptasia. The bullet studded walls look as glum as ever, pitted with war wounds and the scraggy remains of fly posters. Adding to the seedy, wilting look, there’s the entrance to a boxing club, the kind of which you’d imagine the Kray twins holding court in. Don't let that put you off. Pre-war this was Warsaw’s premier food market, a function it resumed in the ’50s following a brief post-war role as the city bus depot. Today the stalls and stores inside are chockfull of fresh ingredients, and it’s a bit of an In The Know source for vegetables and fish; it’s survival of the fittest as oldies scrum and scramble for the best deals, and with foot traffic often reduced to a snail’s pace, I recommend packing a pointy umbrella to prompt any slow-moving old people – don’t think I’m being nasty, it’s a strategy I’ve seen deployed by scores of beret-topped babcias.

CROSSING JANA PAWŁA Leaving behind Hala Mirowska, you’ll find yourself crossing Jana Pawła and heading past the Atrium Complex. Now I mentioned the Kray twins earlier, and indeed, the area hasn’t been short of gangland bloodletting. In 1999, with Warsaw in the last days of its Mafia wars, a crook called Kajtka was shot outside TGI in a classic mob hit.

Less grisly, pay attention to the fire station on Chłodna 3. Looking similar to a giant stable, it did a good job of surviving the war – unfortunately, it didn’t fare so well with the town planners who were drafted in after. For reasons unexplained, its tall, minaret-style observation tower was felled after the war, quite possibly as it didn’t fit the new egalitarian vision of Socialist Warsaw.

A more recent loss, but one equally lamented, has been the closure of the on-site firefighters museum. Now this place was great, featuring bits of crashed planes and recovered fire scene debris. Quaint and unexpected, it was a total tonic to the interactive experience that comes with the modern museum, though hopes are high that the door bolts are temporary. With that locked, your one chance to see what the building looks like from the inside is to enter the Florian restaurant. Named after the patron saint of firefighters, Michael Palin dined here during his tour of ‘New Europe.’ “It’s decorated in a butch bordello style,” wrote the former Python, “with lacy tablecloths, firemen’s helmets and brass band instruments.”

I can confirm, it hasn’t changed a bit.

Opposite top, Marx, Engels and Lenin stand guard over the Red Hog Inn. Below, Chłodna 25, the beatnik HQ. This page, Fin-desiecle meets 70's brutality at Hala Mirowska.

CHŁODNA What has changed is the rest of the street.

Reopened on October 1 earlier this year, Chłodna has had the benefit of a 12 million zlot restoration.

Re-cobbled and pedestrianized in parts, new look Chłodna has been returned to its pre-war glory.

Over 780 shrubs have been planted, and 44 oldstyle street lamps added to the pavements, lending a pleasing backdrop to the pomp of St. Andrew’s. www.warsawinsider.pl

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STROLLING THE NEIGHBORHOOD MIRÓW

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The work of Henryk Marconi, this elaborate church was inspired by the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome, and features figures of the apostles lining its exterior. A wartime survivor, the church looks better than ever, in spite of an awkward position sandwiched between Soc-Realist housing and the looming form of Żelazna Brama on the other.

However, it was in one of these dreary blocks that Jerzy Popiełuszko once lived. Beatified in 2010, Popiełuszko was a popular priest who wasn’t scared to speak out against the Communist system. Murdered in 1984 by government security forces, his death sparked outrage amongst Poles.

His funeral was attended by 250,000 people, and to this day he remains a symbol of free speech and faith. A resident of Chłodna 15, a photograph of the murdered priest can be seen outside the steps of St. Andrew’s, as well as a commemorative boulder further down the street.

Yet for all the restoration work, Chłodna feels anything but revitalized. While redesign blueprints envisage a bustling piazza filled with pavement cafes, the reality is somewhat different. For the time being this stretch of street is the preserve of family grocery stores and other such shops, creating a quiet, eerie feeling the moment dusk sets –

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Opposite top, the battered side of Chłodna. Bottom, peepholes on the new Ghetto Bridge installation allow a glimpse into the past.

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ŻELAZNA / CHŁODNA More evidence of the Jewish past is apparent straight ahead. You may have noticed already en-route, the prevalence of plaques and trails outlining the former Ghetto boundaries. However, nothing is more pronounced than what lies at the crossroads.

Aside from one such tablet, you’ll see a huge installation that brands the point a bridge was built to connect the small ghetto with the large.

Illuminated at night, a trail of overhead lights mark the point where the bridge once crossed, while peepholes installed in the steel posts allow passersby to glimpse period photos of the crossing as it was.

That’s not the only point of interest. Round the corner take a look at the gap in the wall by Żelazna 74. That, believe it or not, is the touted site for the world’s slimmest house. Plans are afoot to turn this 60 inch alleyway into a four floor residence stretching back forty feet. “I saw the gap and just thought it needed filling,” shrugs architect Jakub Szczęsny of the Centrala studio. While British author/historian Norman Davies is said to have rejected (and then regretted) the opportunity to be the first resident, Israeli writer Etgar Keret has jumped at the chance and is set to move in on its completion in Feb. Frankly, I imagine there won’t be room to flip a pancake, but Keret needn’t worry. Across the road stands the Red Hog Inn, a commie-themed restaurant that’s well worth a look. Clever PR has and continues to trick people into thinking this was once the haunt of Lenin & Co., and while that’s rubbish the atmosphere certainly isn’t. Here it’s all socialist anthems and red drapes and sashes, a fun little look at the gloomy past. Even so, Keret’s local HQ is more likely to be Chłodna 25. Filled with hipster boys with parrot head haircuts, and theater chicks with big, beady bracelets, it feels like an Apple store at times – what with all the gadgets and gizmos on display. While Warsaw now has a million beatnik bars like this, this is the original, which explains why people cross town to see and be seen.

CHŁODNA / WRONIA / GRZYBOWSKA The rest of Chłodna is a work in progress, with only the pre-war tramlines alluding to the time when this was a busy thoroughfare. Now lined by

MAP BY KEVIN DEMARIA

as frost forms on the cobbles and mist rises from manholes, it’s easy to think of time standing still.

Much of this area stood on what was the Jewish Ghetto, and while most buildings were pulled down (markers recently laid down illustrate where the old tenements once stood), a couple survive.

Take for example Chłodna 20, a crisp white structure adorned with art nouveau cherubs. It was here that Adam Czerniaków, head of the wartime Jewish Council (Judenrat), took poison in 1942 rather than bowing to pressure and colluding in the transports to Treblinka.

FINISH

shabby pavilions, it’s a dead zone consisting of dusty shops selling engine parts, as well as sleazy enterprises such as a peep show and leather club. But if you think that’s pretty dormant, turn the corner into Wronia. The waste ground to the left marks the former home of the Haberbusch & Schiele brewery, its vast empty plot earmarked for development.

And yes, this area will certainly develop. Already up are glittery monuments like the Hilton and Platinum Towers, and they’ll soon be joined by the Warsaw Spire. When completed in 2014, it’ll reach a star touching 220 meters, making it the second tallest building in the whole of the country. In the meantime, enjoy this deserted Twilight Zone while you can. Do so at Waliców 14, an ominous war ruin that stands out like a poisonous toadstool.

Positively spooky at night, its tumbledown look is nicely twinned by the shell pocked walls that stare from opposite.

PL. GRZYBOWSKI / TWARDA Cross Jana Pawła to conclude your walk. Now rife with skyscrapers and cranes, the area around Grzybowski was the center of pre-war Jewish life.

Set through a small maze of side streets the synagogue on Twarda 6 was the only one to survive the Holocaust, and today forms the focal point of Warsaw’s reborn Jewish population: a Kosher store stands nearby, some cafes, as well as the only Yiddish-language theater in Europe.

While the synagogue was built by Leandro Marconi, All Saints’ Church was the work of his father, Enrico. Completed in 1893, it’s 3,500 capacity came in handy when Pope John Paul II visited in 1987 (accompanied by Mother Teresa).

His visit is remembered by way of a statue and a plaque. With the end in sight, don’t miss a stroll down ul. Próżna. Often lauded as Warsaw’s “most authentic pre-war street,” what was once a derelict and abandoned section of town is in the process of being transformed into Class A offices. Come by at night when the clank and thud of industrial machinery has died, and enjoy a silent stroll down this lonely street. Intrinsically linked with the local history of the Jews, Próżna 7 was where Zalman Nożyk (founder of the synagogue) once ran a hardware store. Soon it’ll be brushed and buffed, in the meantime, what remains of Próżna is like a trip back through time.

Having turned the corner, finish your trek with a trip to Na Zielnej. Aside from being rated as one of the best restaurants in the nation, its history too is worthy of note. Known as the PASTa Tower, the building it’s housed in was Warsaw’s first skyscraper. Measuring sixty meters, the tower once functioned as telephone exchange, and became a key point of battle during the Warsaw Uprising. It took insurgents 20 days to wrestle control from the Germans, and even today its original importance hasn’t been lost – find the Veterans Association occupying part of the tower.

www.warsawinsider.pl

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RELICS OF THE PRL (1952-1989)

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THE PRAGA BAND Formed in 1988 the Praska Kapela are something of a local institution. Tooting out versions of Uprising anthems and PRL tunes (Tramwaj, Ach Franka, Franka), you can catch these cloth-capped chaps in action round town – failing that, check the monument honoring them on ul. Kłopotowskiego.

Send an SMS, and the installation jacks into life with their classic music piped from the speakers.

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PHOTOGRAPHS: FROM TOP AGENCJA FORUM, ANNA J. KUTOR, JACEK NATORFF

GRAND CENTRAL

A love-it or loathe-it affair, the brooding behemoth that is Dworzec Centralny divides local opinion as much as the Palace of Culture that shadows it. Allowed to rot into ruin for several years, it’s only thanks to a recent renovation that it's been humanized. The restoration has been impressive, headline-making even, if you take into account the gushing reports that followed the unveiling of the designer toilets earlier this year.

Even so, a straw poll reveals most continue to connect Warsaw’s primary station with vile smelling tunnels and its vagrant population. It wasn’t always like that. Opened on December 5, 1975, it was originally seen as a triumph of socialism. Built to coincide with the 7th Workers’ Party Congress – at which Leonid Brezhnev was to be guest of honor – the authorities saw Centralna as an opportunity to express the Polish-Communist miracle. “The Prime Minister told me not to worry about funds,” recalled architect Arseniusz Romanowicz, “so I was able to get all the best things: automatic doors from Switzerland, suspended ceilings from Holland…”

For years after out-of-towners mobbed the place, ostensibly to gape at touches like Italian clocks and escalators from France – Poland’s first vending machine, even. Of course, it wasn’t all plain sailing. In a sign of things to come, the landmark fountain (long since dismantled) ran dry on the first day of launch. Constructed in under 1,100 days, the lack of workmanship left Centralna dogged by faults and flaws, and it’s only of late it has come to resemble what it should have been from the start.

One of the enduring legends of the PRL can be found in the form of Mozaika (Marszałkowska 53), a smashing communist relic that announces itself to the world with a brazen burst of neon.

Seen as one of the luxury restaurants of the era, its red marble interiors are offset by classic retro design touches that include net curtains and Triffid-style plants. The authenticity alone makes it a favorite shoot venue for film crews and TV companies. Swing by, literally, on weekends when the disco lights are wheeled out and the place becomes a misty-eyed tribute to old school Poland – check out the funky uncle dance moves on Saturday for instance, when the place sounds to 60s/70s Polish hits…

www.warsawinsider.pl

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TRAVEL: BOOKS ŚWIĘTOKRZYSKI

A Look to the Past

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PHOTOGRAPHS BY KEVIN DEMARIA

A handsome coffee table must, and that's in spite of the Polishonly text. Published by Dom Spotkań z Historią, this book explores the story of Warsaw's pre-war buildings and those who live in them. Making use of pre-war prints and modern day photography, it’s a superb glimpse behind the facades – some battered and bruised, others gorgeous and restored – that we pass every day without second thought.

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(Above) Professor Erbel and his wife Anna have lived in Flory 7 since 1935. She's worked as a doctor for 37 years in the Hospital for Contagious Diseases while he's been teaching at Warsaw Polytechnic for 50 years. (Below) ul. KĹ‚opotowskiego 38: The Art Nouveau facade of the building is decorated with rows of large flowers, stylized garlands and characteristic waving stalks. (Opposite page) A typical Praga courtyard shrine, this one on ul. ZÄ…bkowska.

www.warsawinsider.pl

19

MUM'S THE WORD

CAN’T COOK, WON’T COOK!

Kids unleashed in a kitchen sounds like a nightmare come true – yet the results are anything but...

BY GILL BOELMAN-BORROWS

W

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ith the festive season on the horizon and a shopping list as long as my scarf, I feel surprisingly calm and organized. My winter coat hangs proud, crisp and ready to parade; I have suited and booted the family in Warsaw’s finest winter woolies, and I have stripped the shelves of every toy shop’s top ten gifts. But my toughest chore remains: shopping for fun, festive food…

I remember the first time I set foot in a Polish supermarket; at first glance everything looked the same as back home. But my relief was short lived when, on closer inspection, it became obvious my trusty microwave meals were nowhere to be found, and organic had yet to enter the Polish culinary dictionary. As reality sank in, I trudged off to the meat and veg section pondering what Jamie Oliver would do in this situation…

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Five years on, and although my culinary repertoire has expanded, I still struggle to answer the daily question of “what’s for supper?” So the thought of preparing a festive spread really racks the brain. The Best of Warsaw’s Gourmet Grocery’s list of nominees has proved indispensable, but what good are great ingredients when you can’t cook? Thankfully, a few very clever ladies have come up with a plan, called it Little Chef, and for an affordable fee opened their kitchen door for children (and adults) to experience and master the art of cooking.

And indeed, it really is music to my taste buds; whilst Katia and Ola teach my child to cook, I get 90 minutes of ME time. Initially, I felt rather guilty; after all, the poor child had just completed yet another full week of school. Friday afternoon freedom was in her sights – little did she know she was about to be chained to the stove for an hour or so. I also had knowledge the lesson would involve cooking with plums (a fruit she has never been fond of), so I decided to stick around to witness the challenge.

Katia, Ola and their bright, jolly kitchen are well equipped to take on the challenges that occur when seven children, all under the age of eight, have an appetite to cook. I watched the group sharing, helping, tidying and tasting the produce whilst inquisitively listening to Katia’s mouthwatering language of food. They sieved, rolled, kneaded, packaged, cut, peeled, whipped and boiled ingredients, before finally sitting down to devour their personally cooked meal: in this case plum dumplings and cream.

The method is simple. Start from scratch with seasonal, preferably local produce, get your hands and all other senses working and most importantly have fun. Plus it’s not just for kids! Little Chef can tailor-make a cooking ‘party’ especially for you. Birthday’s (all ages), ladies or lads evenings, corporate events etc. You name it, and they can do it, in English, Polish or French.

My daughter arrived tired from school, yet left feeling exhilarated from her accomplishments. The result being, food shopping is no longer just mummy’s chore. My daughter wants to cook from scratch – a task I find more daunting than a parachute jump. She dictates what goes in the shopping cart, and is happy to eat it all up. So now, I can look forward to putting my pedicured feet up whilst she selects and prepares our festive menu!

For more info: tel. 501 093 691, www.littlechef.pl

PHOTOGRAPHS, THIS PAGE BY GILL BOELMAN-BORROWS. OPPOSITE PAGE, SHUTTERSTOCK

“ A few very clever ladies have come up with a plan, called it Little Chef, and opened their kitchen to children”

SPORTS

FEVER PITCH

With the Euro 2012 championships next year, the Insider discovers domestic giant's Legia enjoying an unforseen renaissance – on and off the field. BY DAVE INGHAM

C

rumbling dangerous stadia, uncontrollable lunatics running riot, and a standard of play that looks more like some guys having a kick about in the park. If this sounds familiar to anyone, then either you watched football in England in the 1980’s or you’ve been to a match in Warsaw. To be honest, it was so bad here I actually gave up on Polish football indefinitely.

But that was then, and this is now. And following a recent visit to Legia Warsaw’s new 31,800 capacity Polish Army Stadium (renamed the Pepsi Arena), on ul. Łazienkowska, I’ve just had my opinion of the game here changed forever.

Formed back in 1916 by Polish soldiers fighting on the Eastern Front (hence the name), Legia have gone on to become one of Poland’s most successful clubs, winning nine league championships and appearing in a record fourteen Polish Cup Finals – the most recent coming when they defeated Lech Poznań in last season’s final.

The clubs heyday arguably came in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s when a side galvanized by Polish midfielder Kazimierz Deyna, a man who is more than just a hero to Legia fans, chalked-up successive championships and a European Cup semi-final.

I discovered all this while chatting to fans in the club’s swanky new bar, situated just next to the ticket office and open all week, not just on match days. With walls adorned with black and white photos of the clubs greatest moments it is a great place to get a pre-match pint without crossing swords with Legia’s more ‘hardcore’ element.

But it’s on entering the new stadium that you really get

the feel that things are changing in Polish football, as this rivals almost anything that the English Premier League can throw at you, with modern facilities and outstanding views of the action. Yet football isn’t about nice seats and the chance to get a burger, what makes this sport something special is the atmosphere and at Legia it’s quite breathtaking, with the fans singing from start to finish. This is particularly true behind the goal where the ultras, driven on by some chap on a raised platform, are based.

Luckily I chose a great day to turn up as Legia were playing one of their fiercest rivals, Wisła Kraków, in a game that promised an electric atmosphere. And I have to admit the hairs on the back of my neck stood up as the supporters rose to their feet a few minutes before kick-off for a rousing sing along to a recording of Sen o Warszawie, the club's anthem, whose first verse goes something like: “I do have, like you, my town, and in it, my most beautiful world.”

On the pitch it was an action-packed game as well with Legia dominating Wisła for large spells before coming out on top with a two-nil victory. But I have to admit the play itself wasn’t without fault, with players diving at every opportunity, and Legia’s Serbian forward Danijel Ljuboja lazily prancing around for 90 minutes, while theatrically looking to the heavens every time he missed a sitter.

Yet that’s what live sport should be all about, the sublime and the ridiculous in equal measure. So whether you’re new to town, or like I was, just disillusioned by the whole match day experience, then a day out at Legia is definitely not to be missed. www.warsawinsider.pl

21

TRAVEL ZAMOŚĆ

A RENAISSANCE PEARL

With vast swathes of Poland now guidebooked and outed, how about taking a route less traveled? Few places compare with Zamość, fewer still in the cold glow of autumn.

BY ALEX WEBBER & CHRISTIAN SWINDELLS | PHOTOGRAPH BY PIOTR CHADAŁA

IN A WAY, Zamość reminds me of a garden shed.

You know it's there, but the fact it's at the bottom of the garden means it's left on its own to gather cobwebs and dust. Set deep in the south easterly corner of Poland, you wouldn't guess it was less than 250 clicks from central Warsaw. Even in the height of summer, an English accent is a rare noise, one that gets the locals cooing and clucking in surprised curiosity. Indeed, with cheap flights buzzing over the rest of Poland, Zamość feels a little like a secret.

True, getting there is hardly a cinch. If you're traveling by rail, you'll be changing at Lublin and arriving six hours after you left the capital behind. By bus, it's three to four hours (depending on traffic) courtesy of www.bigbus.pl. But in spite of the logistical trials, Zamość is certainly worth the effort. The carrott on the stick is a pristine pearl penned in by red brick bastions, and a magnificent square framed by rainbow colored burgher houses. If you thought Kraków looked good, then this place is better. True, it's a whole lot smaller, but the nature of Zamość has a bewitching quality that's all the more fetching under a dim autumn dusk.

The very roots of Zamość are entwined with the story of one man: Jan Zamoyski. Now his wealth puts modern day oligarchs in the shade (by the end of his life his estate covered just shy of 17,000 sq/km of land), and it was on his behest that this town was built. Constructed between 1580-1600 by a headhunted team of Italian architects, it wasn't before long his creation had been dubbed “the Padova of the North.” The center piece was and is the Rynek, a breathtaking square measuring a hundred metres each way. If ever you wondered why Zamość is featured on

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the UNESCO World Heritage list, then here's your reason.

Dominated by the soaring 52-meter town hall tower, highlights of the square include 'the Armenian houses,' a row of elaborate tenements which housed merchants from... you fill the dots.

Built to a disciplined grid plan, the rest of the old town is easily traversed. To the north lies the traditional home of the former Jewish community. At a time when Jews found themselves persecuted across much of Europe, the englightened Zamoyski invited them to town in 1588.

The synagogue on ul. Bazyliańska dates back to 1610, and while damaged in WWII it survived the Nazi purges having been used as a stable. After the war the remaining structure was re-roofed and used as a library for nearly 50 years, after which time it fell into ruin. This year, however, a lengthy restoration process has borne fruit, and the synagogue now houses a multi-media museum focused on the local history of the Jewish population.

Jews' made up close to half of Zamość's pre-war numbers, their population predictably culled as a consequence of Nazi ideology. The railway ramp where thousands were deported to the gas chambers of Bełżec stands tumbledown and overgrown outside the old town, as does a memorial that marks the site of the former 'new cemetery'. Built using smashed tombstones, the inscription is poignant in its message: “Thou Shalt Not Kill.”

INDEED,

shadows of the war weigh heavy over Zamość. The Nazis envisioned it as a colonial outpost, and a motion was raised to rechristen it Himmlerstadt.

A self-conscious Himmler vetoed the idea on account of

PHOTOGRAPHS, THIS PAGE BY C. SWINDELLS

TRAVEL ZAMOŚĆ

From left. Jan Zamoyski, founding father of the city; arcaded archways ring the Rynek; the Town Hall dominates the square.

“ Set deep in the south easterly corner of Poland, you wouldn't guess it was less than 250 clicks from central Warsaw” there being no city named after Hitler, and Zamość found itself briefly known as Pflugstadt: ‘Plough Town’. Some 110,000 Poles were removed from the region as part of a Nazi plan to ‘resettle’ the area with ethnic Germans, with approximately 10,000 dying as a result. More than 30,000 children were taken from their parents; many were sent to Germany to be Germanised but several thousand ended up in Zamość concentration camp (a memorial marks the spot on the corner of ul. Okrzei and Piłsudskiego), where most died of starvation or disease.

Poles responded with the Zamość uprising, which is commemorated by two monuments (one to the Home Army and the other to the Peasants’ Battalion) in the Planty park just off ul. Partyzantów. The Home Army one has a map showing where the battles took place. Of all the reminders of the war, however, few are more somber than the Rotunda. Completed in 1831, the Nazis utilized this red brick fortification as an execution ground, with 7,000 people shot over the course of the conflict. Nowadays, the few visitors who make it here walk round gloomy cells whose silence speaks volumes.

The Rotunda is just one of many defensive placements that ringed the town – so effective were these, Zamość was one of the few places that didn't buckle during the Swedish Deluge that swept across Poland in 1656. Many of these fortifications now find themselves under EU sponsored scaffolding, while others have already been returned to their former glory. Of particular interest, check the Lwowska Gate, still adorned with the initials of Tsar Alexander I. Close by, Polish patriot Walerian Łukasiński was imprisoned inside the 'Retrenchment' for anti-imperialist

activities. A plaque recalls his one year stint in jail here, with an inscription: “There is no force that can defeat true love for your country.”

Back inside Old Town, and there's yet more to see. The impossibly titled Szczebrzeszyn Gate holds an exhibition devoted to heavy-duty arms and armor from back in the day, while the Zamojskie Museum (set in the aforementioned Armenian Houses) gallops through the history of Zamość with a rich collection of art work, ornaments and archaeological finds. Yet it's the churches that stand out the most. Excessive in style, the most impressive of these institutions is the Cathedral, famed for its miracle working image of the Virgin Mary.

With the sightseeing wrapped up, then what else is there to say. Food-wise, Zamość is occasionally catastrophic. The arcaded walkways in the Rynek lead to several restaurants, though for a safer bet Muzealna (Ormiańska 30) serves regional specialties such as cabbage stuffed with buckwheat and (better) Polish classics. My top choice though is the Corner Pub, a great hostelry with basic, filling food.

As for hotels, the most central is the Orbis Zamojski (www.accorhotels.com), which comes complete with the ghost of a murdering adultress who was beheaded in the 16th Century (room 106 if you fancy something that goes “Wwwoooooohhhh” in the night). Alas, you can't help but feel that such a town deserves a less homogenous hotel.

There is another decent choice however, and that's the Senator (www.hotelsenator.pl). Run by an aging Polish rockstar, it features a cracking cellar bar/restaurant equipped with decorative wooden swords, and pleasant rooms accessed via creaking stairwells and antique corridors. www.warsawinsider.pl

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THE ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE

Can the handmade organic chocolates of Manufaktura Czekolady get on your shopping list? BY KIT F. CHUNG

S

ay Polish chocolates and the household names that spring to mind are Wedel and Wawel. But looking to break the traditional duopoly are the new chocs on the block, Manufaktura Czekolady (www.manufakturaczekolady.pl), founded by two high school friends who have jettisoned their corporate careers and rehabilitated into craftsmen of bittersweet delights.

“At first, it seemed crazy,” says Tomasz Sienkiewicz

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of their game plan. But after finding out about artisan producers who have succeeded, he concluded that he wasn't up against rocket science. Together with Krzysztof Stypułkowski, the duo dived into months of fervent R&D. The initial outcome was six dark varieties that look pro and have marvellously clean and rich notes. But while these men are the dark chocolate types, they have also added two models of milk chocolate to their collection.

Neither, are these gourmet treats unhealthy: “Our chocolates are not packed with excessive sugar or other fattening additives,” explains Tomek. “Look at the ingredient list on the packaging. It’s only cocoa beans and cane sugar.”

“Chocolates are products of agriculture. Each batch of cocoa beans is different,” says Tomek. Roasting the beans in-house is the first step in harnessing the characteristics of the pellets. This sets Manufaktura Czekolady apart from the producers who buy pre-processed ingredients to bypass the toasting stage.

“It’s like drinking juice made from fresh fruits, instead of from fruit concentrate,” says Krzysztof, explaining that the difference in final quality is highly dependant on whether you start off with whole beans or off-the-shelf components.

The subsequent stages at their workshop employ time-consuming traditional methods that the pair believe contribute to capturing the complex nuances of cocoa.

“In each stage, the hands are involved,” says Krzysztof.

Yet surely manual labour alone cannot justify the zł. 14-16 for a 50g bar. The babcia in the neighbourhood deli also handcrafts her pierogi but you don’t see her slapping on a steep fee for that. In Manufaktura Czekolady’s case, there’s another factor upping the price tag.

“We are the only chocolate producer in Poland certified as organic,” says Krzysztof. “Cocoa is the second most sprayed crop in the world.” Health benefits aside, Krzysztof says that the industrial chemicals impair the natural flavours.

These school-friends-turned-partners-in-chocolatemaking still have to get the public’s buy in, literally, to high-end chocolates. “Fifteen years ago in Poland, people used only Lipton or Saga. Now, more and more people are buying quality tea. I hope the chocolate market will develop similarly,” says Krzysztof, fully aware of the bumpy paths for pioneers. As things stand though, there looks a healthy chance Manufaktura could yet become a household name...

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF MANUFAKTURA CZEKOLADY

HANDMADE

EATING OUT Restaurants, Cafes & Wine Bars SECTIONS African. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

American & Tex-Mex . . . .

Asian & Indian. . . . . . . . . .

Balkan & Russian. . . . . . .

British. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Cafes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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International & Fusion. . .

THIS MONTH:

* 12 updates

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The following symbols (A1) map location are a rough indicator ideal for business as to how much you meetings can expect to pay for take a date a main course.

child friendly $ mains under

vegetarian friendly zł. 30

delivery $$ mains breakfast menu

zł. 30-55

free wifi available $$$ mains zł. 55+ BOW 2010 Best of Warsaw Award Winner

Insider’s Pick HOT FIND

India Curry ul. Żurawia 22, tel. 438 9350, www.indiacurry.pl. Open 12:00-23:00.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF INDIA CURRY

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“ I fell on the food like a street cat, demolishing everything in front of me with no time to spare”

astronomically, it’s a sign of how far Warsaw has come; ten years ago you’d have needed three fingers to count the number of Indian restaurants in town – now you’d need three octopi. Like sushi and fusion before it, Indian cuisine has gone from being a food to a fad, with the recent explosion of venues proof that the Polish palate has grown increasingly exotic.

Yet for all this, it’s an old stager that continues to win the plaudits. India Curry opened on Żelazna in 2002, with its continued presence lending it something of a vintage status among the competition. And yes, in a city noted for its comings and goings, there’s something comfortable and familiar about arriving to this place. But don’t think age comes before beauty. Aesthetically this remains one of the best looking Indian’s around, with wicker chairs and stone trimmings adding an element of colonial class – straight away, you just know you’re in a good curry house.

I’m a self-confessed curry addict, but have to concede I usually eat it in take-away form: as a creature of basic habits, I’m happy splashed on my sofa, with a can of lager and something hot, hot, hot. India Curry is clearly more refined. So, disguised in my office finery, I bit the bullet and did my best not to annihilate the tablecloth with my zoo creature etiquette. I failed, but boy, what fun I had trying.

Myself and the partner kicked off our trial of the new menu with a fish tikka, crispy round the edges and delicately spiced. A good start we thought, but not nearly as good as what was to come. For mains it was a case of share and share alike, with a mutton biryani, chicken tikka masala, rajita and keema naan spread across the table like an impromptu feast.

I fell on the food like a street cat, demolishing everything in front of me with no time to spare. The rajita – a cool cucumber/yogurt mix – went perfectly with the biryani, while the tikka masala did more than enough to tickle the tonsils and get the taste buds jiving. I wasn’t so much impressed as totally knocked out – quite literally. If I’d eaten anymore I’d have to be fork lifted out. The overall experience wasn’t just good, it was a hands down hit, and has left me reassessing my take-away life – praise indeed. (AW)

www.warsawinsider.pl

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EATING OUT cafés

Antrakt (D3) pl. Piłsudskiego 9, tel. 22 827 6411.

Open daily 12:00-last guest. Intellectuals and playwrights gather in Antrakt, a quirky cafe that groans with antiques and artwork.

The presence of the theater next door keeps the IQ level high.

Amor (E7) ul. Marszałkowska 17, tel. 22 825 0036, www.czekoladziarniaamor.pl. Open Sun-Mon 12:00-21:00, Tue-Thu 10:00-21:00, Fri 10:0022:00, Sat 11:00-22:00. Chocoholics beware!

One step inside this chocolate parlor is all it takes to become a lifelong fan. Definitely no place for those on a diet, no matter what the light salads and fresh soups may suggest.

Batida (multiple locations) ul. Królewska 2, tel. 22 826 4474, ul. Przy Lasku 2 (Wola), ul. Marszałkowska 53, ul. Przejazd 6, pl. Trzech Krzyży 18, www.batida.com.pl. Open daily 9:00-21:00.

A café, upscale delicatessen and cake shop with traditional Polish elegance. Excellent cakes and nibbles.

Bily Konicek Café (C3) National Ethnographic Museum, ul. Kredytowa 1, tel. 696 490 846. Open daily 9:00-20:00. Stylish décor, brilliant lattes, delicious meringues, fresh pies and home-baked oatmeal cookies, this is a great place for a sweet bite on a rainy day.

Blikle (D3) ul. Nowy Świat 33, tel. 22 826 6619, www.blikle.pl. All-day breakfast: Mon-Sat 9:00-last guest, Sun 10:00-last guest.

Brilliant traditional desserts in a historic location that has a history that spans over a century of fine pastry-making. Also stop by the next-door deli for specialty goods.

Bookhousecafé (D4) ul. Świętokrzyska 14, tel. 22 826 8559.

Open daily 7:30-23:00. Great sandwiches, pastries, custom-brewed coffees and over a dozen varities of tea in a bookish interior that is intellectual in spirit.

Cafe Borgia (H4) ul. Francuska 50, tel. 22 468 8554. Open 9:00-21:00. Instantly loveable, the downtown cafe branch of the eminent Balgera racks up points for a completely brilliant collection of cakes and desserts. Substantials like freshlymade pasta also available inside relaxed, whitewashed interiors.

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Café 6/12 (E5) ul. Żurawia 6/12, tel. 22 622 5333, www.612.pl. Open Mon-Fri 8:00-23:00; Sat 10:00-24:00; Sun 10:00-23:00.

Famous for dispensing complicated fruit and vegetable smoothies, 6/12 have even introduced a full diet plan: pop-by for breakfast, then grab a goodie bag packed with balanced meals and snacks for the day ahead. Being healthy has never tasted better.

Or looked better for that matter; still very much the choice haunt for the in-team.

Eastern Bloc. Decorated with chunky phones and primary colors it’s a cheeky look at the good ole’ days.

Café Colombia (D4) Nowy Świat 19, tel. 22 628 0226.

Open 7:00-23:00. An exotic, colorful café that gains approval for the use of fine-grade Colombian coffee apparently purchased direct from the producer; the luxury Hacienda Bombona is particularly noteworthy.

Café Vincent (D4) ul. Nowy Świat 64, tel. 22 828 0115.

Open daily 6:30-24:00. A must-stop, Cafe Vincent is your ultimate French connection: a bakery, pastry shop and bistro. It offers freshly baked treats from almond croissants to delicate brioches.

Café Lemon Bar (D4) ul. Sienkiewicza 6, tel. 22 829 5544, www.cafelemon.pl. Open daily 24hr. Eight years old and counting, Lemon’s greatest glory are their open hours – non-stop.

For an early dawn after-party comedown, this citrus-colored cafe ticks the box, and isn’t so bad during the day when large, airy windows ensure maximum opportunity for people gazing.

Café Melon (Praga) ul. Inżynierska 1. Open daily 9:00-19:00.

This chic little café is an extension of the Melon photo studio located on the property. Here you can have a cup of gourmet tea or coffee and whole-grain cookies while enjoying the art on display.

Mounted photos taken by some of Poland’s young photographers are on sale.

Café Próżna (C3) ul. Próżna 12, tel. 22 620 3257, www.cafeprozna.pl. Open Sun-Thur 10:0023:00; Fri-Sat 10:00-24:00. Ignoring the fact that most of this street looks ready to fall down, the artsy looking Próżna comes with a chic, ice white look, and a stack of hard back tomes to compliment the homemade desserts. Even better at night, when soaked in the glow of dozens of candles.

Café Roskosz ul. Wiolinowa 2a, tel. 22 111 5015, www.caferoskosz.pl. Open 10:00-20:00.

Ursynów is a bit of a dead end when it comes to social life, so a big welcome to Rokosz, a cool café with retro interiors that scream ’80s

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Café Rue de Paris (Saska Kępa) (H4) ul. Francuska 11, tel. 22 617 8773, www.ruedeparis.eu. Open Mon-Fri 8:0021:00, Sat- Sun 7:30-22:00. A favorite rendez-vous spot for all the French- speaking folk dwelling the area. Salads, quiches and pancakes as well as fresh pastries baked on the premises.

Caffe Balgera (C6) ul. Koszykowa 1, tel. 22 629 0189. www.balgera.pl. Open Mon-Sat 9:00-22:00; Sun 11:00-21:00. The breakfast menu here is simple but sweet and there’s great upscale café fare here all day long.

Caffetino (C4) ul. Świętokrzyska 32, tel. 22 624 0196.

Open Mon-Fri 8:00-22:00, Sat-Sun 10:0021:00. Located near the Palace of Culture, Caffetino serves mainly Italian cuisine: their pastas are truly excellent. Besides pasta, their specialities include delicious Italian coffees – with some interesting twists, such as the latte with honey and very tasty desserts.

Cava (D4) ul. Nowy Świat 30, tel. 22 826 6427.

Open Mon-Fri 9:00-24:00, Sat-Sun 10:0024:00. Złote Tarasy (C4), ul. Złota 59, www.cava.pl. Open Mon-Sat 9:00-22:00; Sun 9:00-21:00. A prime spot on Nowy Świat’s red carpet keeps business brisk in this high-end cafe. Premium Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee available, and best enjoyed on a seasonal terrace that can barely be bettered.

Chłodna 25 (B3) ul. Chłodna 25, tel. 22 620 2413, www.chlodna25.pl. Open Mon-Fri 8:00-last guest; Sat & Sun 10:00-last guest. Dreadlocks and piercings are the favored attire in Chłodna, one of the last bastions of beatnik chic this side of the Wisła. Here it’s all sunken sofas and chipped wood tables inside a soothing environment celebrated for its experimental sounds and anti-establishment vibe. >>

EATING OUT >> Coffee Karma (D6) pl. Zbawiciela 3/5, tel. 22 875 8709, www.coffeekarma.eu. Open Mon-Fri 7:3022:00; Sat 9:00-22:00, Sun 10:00-22:00.

One of the true pleasures of spring is the Coffee Karma terrace; order a smoothie, switch off the phone, open the book – it’s that sort of place. Concerts and art shows figure in their repertoire, as does rather good coffee.

Czaji Bar Herbaciarnia (E5) pl. Trzech Krzyży 3, tel. 22 584 7101.

Open daily 9:00-23:00. With a sumptuouslydecorated interior – think elegant, creamcolored and flouncy French queen’s private chambers – and beautifully-trained staff, Czaji Teahouse is a must-visit at any time of day.

Czarny Motyl (F1) ul. Ząbkowska 2, tel. 608 680 964, www.czarnymotyl.pl. Open daily 12:00-to last customer. An intriguing cross between a chilled-out bar and a cafe, this is a good spot to grab a light meal, a pre-party drink or post-work sheesha.

Czuły Barbarzyńca (E3) ul. Dobra 31, tel. 22 826 3294, www.czulybarbarzynca.pl. Open Mon-Fri 10:00-22:00; Sat 10:00-23:00; Sun 12:0022:00. A very charming bookstore and café in one.

Delikatesy Bracia Gessler (D3) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 13, tel. 22 826 7936, www.gessler.pl.

Open Mon-Fri 8:00-23:00; Sat 9:00-23:00; Sun 10:00-23:00. Great sandwiches, cakes and pastries from the Gessler dynasty.

Columned, imperial interiors add a swish look to this Royal Route stalwart.

Fiku Miku Café (H4) ul. Zwycięzców 32. Open 10:00-19:00.

A kid-friendly café filled with stuffed animals and wooden toys. The menu is a good, simple affair that involves shakes and smoothies, salads, quiche and slim line cakes.

Open daily 10:00-20:00. Just outside the Botanical Gardens, this half café and half nursery serves teas, smoothies and sweet treats. Also open in chillier weather.

Francuska 30 (H4) ul. Francuska 30. Open daily 8:00-22:00.

An attractive modern café in the heart of Saska Kępa with an artsy feel. A large selection of coffee drinks as well as teas, complemented by a choice of pastries, muffins and simple Italian dishes at affordable prices.

Kawka Bar Kawowy (D6) ul. Koszykowa 30, tel. 22 621 6557, www.kawka.pl. Open Mon-Wed 9:00-22:00; Thur-Fri 9:00-24:00; Sat 11:00-24:00; Sun 11:00-22:00. With 30 varieties of coffee (and a nice tea selection for you non-coffee types), Kawka brews up great java in a pleasant setting.

Garaż Café (Wilanów) ul. Pastewna 25, tel. 22 858 2693, www.garaz-cafe.waw.pl. Open Mon-Fri 9:00-21:30; Sat 13:00-21:30; Sun 13:00-17:30.

It’s exactly what it sounds like: a café in a Kępa Café (G3) renovated garage. But the fresh, substantial ul. Finlandzka 12a, tel. 22 616 1225, salads and rich pastas win it a real thumbs-up. www.kepacafe.blog.pl. Open Mon-Fri 10:0022:00; Sat-Sun 11:00-20:00. A beatnik café Haagen Dazs (D4) that attracts the artists, writers and free wi-fi ul. Nowy Świat 36, tel. 22 826 3052. Open addicted inhabitants. Just the place if you’re 10:00-20:00. While Starbucks have struggled craving coffee or tea from exotic corners of the to replicate their Western form, Haagen Dazs world, or just seeking a peaceful escape from haven’t. The mango sorbet is out of this world, all the city buzz. albeit served inside generic, showroom interiors.

Kolonia (B7) Herba Thea (C8) ul. Łęczycka (corner of Ładysława), ul. Bruna 20, tel. 22 825 8814, tel. 605 084 804, www.kolonia-ochota.pl. www.herbathea.waw.pl. Open Mon-Fri Open daily 10:00-20:00. Equipped with 8:00-23:00; Sat-Sun 10:00-23:00. Just a a garden/playground, Kolonia is the most 5 minute walk from Pole Mokotowskie, off kid-friendly (and pet-friendly) place in the of Al. Niepodległości, this cosy teahouse area, offering fresh daily specials. houses a gallery and hosts live music and workshops on the weekends.

Kredkafe (E6) al. Wyzwolenia 14, tel. 22 622 1561, Kafka Café (E3) www.kredkafe.pl. Open daily 10:00-20:00. ul. Oboźna 3, tel.22 826 0822, The interiors look great, bright and cheerful www.kawiarnia-kafka.pl. Open Mon-Fri with cute cartoon sketches and an entire 9:00-22:00; Sat-Sun 10:00-22:00. Floor-toplayroom complete with toys, stuffed animals ceiling glass walls, retro checkered floor tiles and a playhouse. There is even a mini-theater and rows of pre-loved books lining shelves where the kids can put on puppet shows. characterize this café hotspot. They serve Bathrooms, of course, have baby-change salads, pastas and pancakes and tote plenty facilities. The brainchild of two women with of “free” factors: free wi-fi, smoke-free experience in hospitality and pedagogy, interiors and attitude-free waitresses. $ part of the idea of Kredkafe was to create a BEST WAWA 2010 “Best Café” Winner teaching space.

Filtry Café (A6) ul. Niemcewicza 3, tel. 798 409 356, www.filtrycafe.blog.pl. Open Mon-Fri 8:00-21:00; Sat 10:00-21:00. Filtry Cafe’s got great coffee, fruit shakes, cakes, and light breakfasts combined with a funky atmosphere that attracts art lovers.

Kalimba (Żoliborz) ul. Mierosławskiego 19, tel. 22 869 9784, mob. 502 669 376, www.kalimba.pl. Open Mon-Fri 9:00-20:00; Sat & Sun 10:00-20:00.

Kalimba is a café designed specifically with little ones in mind. A cross between a gummy candy counter café and toy shop, it’s a wonderland for kids.

Flora Caffe (E7) Al. Ujazdowskie 4, tel. 607 232 642.

Kawiarnia Ogrody (D2) ul. Mariensztat 21A, tel. 22 826 2898,

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www.kawiarniaogrody.pl. Open Mon-Fri 8:00-22:00, 9:00-22:00; Sun 11:00-20:00.

The black and white decor manages to strike a perfect balance between grungy and chic.

Kawiarnia Ogrody is located on the beautiful, old-timey Mariensztat, and serves a selection of coffee drinks, shakes, snacks and pastries.

Watch out, the ‘large’ coffee is actually huge!

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Le Chocolat (D5) ul. Żurawia 26, tel. 22 745 1071, www.lechocolat.pl. Open Mon-Fri 10:0019:00; Sat 11:00-16:00. This chic emporium is the realisation of one couples desire to offer top-quality chocolates that challenge the palate of the discerning fan. Inspired by the chocolate boutiques of Paris, over twenty different brands from a dozen countries are available. Handmade pralines and truffles, displayed almost like jewels, come in a

CAFÉS rainbow of fillings, from coconut to cherries, mint to almonds.

Leniviec (D5) ul. Poznańska 7, tel. 22 350 77 77.

Finally open (just as we went to press), and further evidence that the Wilcza/Poznańska crossroad might, just might, become the next big thing. Touting themselves as a place for ‘coffee and culture’ we’ll be back next month to see if they walk the walk.

Magiel Café ul. Stępińska 2, tel. 22 841 0016, www.magielcafe.pl. Open Mon-Sat 11:0022:00; Sun 12:00-21:00. Situated in a former laundrette, sweet looking Magiel comes crowded with rusting mangles and vintage posters advertising soaps and powders.

Featuring some delicious homemade meals inspired influenced by both the Polish and Mediterranean spirit, this place also gets noted for estoreric Polish beers, as well as a series of French wines sourced from private vineyards.

tel. 22 828 5417. Open Mon-Thur 10:00-23:00; Fri & Sat 10:00-24:00; Sun 13:00-23:00. One of Warsaw’s enduring legends, and as popular at night as it is during the day; media types love it, and you’ll find them pecking on quesadilla type snacks inside a hip, white interior.

Open daily 10:00-22:00. This friendly little café is a relatively new arrival, and as one of the only truly kid-friendly locales in the neighborhood, it’s a welcome addition. Has WiFi, a cheerful air and a menu of soups, bruschetta and gourmet coffee.

Mito ul. Waryńskiego 28, tel. 2 629 0815, www. mito.art.pl. Open Mon-Fri 7:00-22:00; 9:0023:00. Café, gallery, bookstore. Sure, we’ve seen that concept before, just not done in this style. Stark white backgrounds are offset by modern art, lending the place a Tate Modern feel. See and be seen – preferably, with a silk scarf and iPad.

My Baby Café ul. Nowoursynowska 147, tel. 22 412 5594, www.mybabycafe.pl. Open Mon-Sat 10:00-20:00, Sun 12:00-20:00. A bright and airy café serving good food and great coffee at reasonable prices. Downstairs is the Holy Grail – shiny new toys, a mini kitchen for the girls, a tool bench for the boys, and a large playhouse (real doorbell and all!). They even provide a nanny at no extra cost! Paradise for kids and heaven for Mums.

Mood Café (D10) Al. Niepodległości 80 (Ogród building), tel. 22 898 3003. Open daily 10:00-21:00.

Adjacent to a restaurant with a mainly Italian menu, this café has all the necessary caffeine options. Their banana and caramel cake is a must!

Mam Ochotę ul. Grójecka 75, tel. 22 667 8280, mamochote. blogspot.com. Open 9:00-24:00. A hip haven in an upcoming area this café gets cool concerts and other such events. And unlike most cafés in its genre, you don’t get the impression you’ll catch fleas from the seats.

Attractive light woods and guest artwork keep this place looking fresh and fun.

Mokotowska 22 ul. Mokotowska 22, tel. 22 622 0689, www.mokotowska-22.pl. Open 7:30-22:00.

Ignoring the rather lame name (come on, get creative eh...), 22 features soft, coffee-colored chairs, zappy, innovative art and an undefeatable selection of lattes. It works on every level, and is a great alternative to braying, boasting Charlotte down the road.

Między Nami (D4) ul. Bracka 20, www.miedzynamicafe.com,

Mucha nie siada (Praga) ul. Ząbkowska 38, tel. 501 620 669.

Lunch time

Take-away option

Cocktails

Nowy Wspaniały Świat (D3) Nowy Świat 63, tel. 22 505 6696, www.nowywspanialyswiat.pl. Open 11:00-last guest. All life is here, from environmental radicals to theater bigwigs, and while it helps to look like a political activist, it’s become increasingly popular with the more standard Nowy Świat crowd. Lectures, DJs, exhibitions and screenings mean no night is the same.

Pędzący Królik (D2) ul. Moliera 8, tel. 22 826 0245. Open Mon-Fri 10:00-24:00, Sat 11:00-24:00, Sun 11:0023:00. Could Pędzący Królik be any more charming? It’s got a gorgeous view of the Theater Square and great desserts. Indulge in a carafe of the reasonably-priced house red >> and enjoy the great food and service.

Quality

Book parties with us

www.paparazzi.com.pl ul. Mazowiecka 12

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EATING OUT >> Prosta Historia (H4) ul. Francuska 24, tel. 505 277 660. Open Mon-Fri 12:00-22:30; Sat-Sun 10:00-22:30.

An attractive Saska café decked with pale white colors, and steel lights overhead.

Service can be frustrating, and some call the food overpriced, factors which are offset by a high street location: perfect for a spot of people watching.

Saint Honore (D3) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 20/22, tel. 508 143 987, ul. Grzybowska 61 (Platinum Towers), www.saint-honore.pl.

Open 8:00-21:00. Accept no imitation, here’s the best bakery around. And aside from fresh baguette sandwiches, find authentically French cakes, croissants and pastries. No piekarnia can come even close.

Same Fusy (D1) ul. Nowomiejska 10, tel. 22 635 9014, www.samefusy.pl Open daily 11:00-23:00.

A must for café junkies. There are over 100 teas (ranging from the tame to the bizarre) to choose from.

Sklep z Kanapkami (D3) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 11. Open Mon- Fri 8:00-22:00; Sat-Sun 9:00-22:00. A big selection of hot and cold sandwiches served on tasty, filling ciabatta bread to eat in or take out. Also soups, salads, pierogi, fresh juices, and even muesli. The prices are very reasonable for this neck of the woods.

Słodki… Słony (D6) ul. Mokotowska 45, tel. 22 622 4934. Open Mon 11:00-24:00; Tue.-Sun 10:00-24:00.

Sumptuously designed by Magda Gessler, Poland’s alpha restaurateur, the place has a homely, distinctly feminine feel. Recommended are the intensively creamy pistachio pie and Pavlova, as well as a small selection of equally delectable main courses.

Szpilka (E5) pl. Trzech Krzyży 18, tel. 22 628 9132.

Open 24hrs. The days when Szpilka stood on the leaderboard of nightlife are long gone, but that’s not to say it’s not worth dropping in. The food osciallates in quality, but the location alone attracts a healthy stream of cafe hoppers and pub crawlers.

Starbucks (D4) ul. Nowy Świat 62 (check website for other locations), tel. 22 829 4021, www.starbucks.pl. Open Mon-Thur 7:3021:30; Fri-Sat 7:30-23:00; Sun 9:00-21:30.

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It had to happen. The Starbucks invasion is well under way. First it was Nowy Świat, now the rest of Warsaw is under attack.

Decent coffee, but it’s yet to entirely imitate the standards they’re known for.

Steff Cafe (F6) ul. Jazdów 1, tel. 507 286 136. Open Sun-Thurs 10:00-21:00; Fri-Sat 10:00-22:00.An intellectual looking cafe in one of the outbuildings

by Zamek Ujazdowski. A limited selection of drinks and snacks is offset by a horizontal atmosphere and an adjoining bookstore filled with arty, coffee table tomes.

Tel Aviv (D5) ul. Poznańska 11, tel. 22 621 1128, www.tel-aviv.pl. Open Mon-Thur 8:30-22:00; Fri 8:30-midnight; Sat 10:00-midnight; Sun 10:00-22:00. One high-profile Jewish visitor described the food as ‘vile’. So maybe leave the humus to others, enjoy instead a cool, indigo-colored, pop-art style space with Israeli music and hard-to-find beers.

To Lubię (C1) ul. Freta 10, tel. 22 635 9023, www.tolubie.pl.

Open daily 10:00-22:00. The perfect place (with loads of charm and wonderful owners) to spend hours with friends while working your way through their delicious menu. The basket of cookies comes highly recommended.

Tok Café (D5) ul. Żurawia 32/34, tel. 22 621 7799, www.tokcafe.pl. Open daily 7:00-22:00.

Perfect music for Monday mornings. Great sandwiches, salads, hot meals and a mouthwatering selection of goodies for your sugar fix.

TUTU Music Bar (Ursynów) Al. KEN 95 (near metro Stokłosy), tel. 22 251 3274, www.tutu.waw.pl.

Open daily 13:00-last guest. TUTU Music Bar is the first smooth jazz bar in Warsaw’s Ursynów district. Its name comes from the album that Miles Davis recorded in the 80’s with Polish jazzman Michał Urbaniak.

Vespa Café (D6) ul. Armii Ludowej 14 (PWC building), tel. 22 825 5775. Open Mon-Fri 7:30-19:00.

A chic, comfortable, sexy space inspired by 60’s Italy in the lobby of the PWC office building. Unlimited free internet access and plenty of sockets make this the ideal spot for a mobile office.

Wrzenie Świata ul. Gałczyńskiego 7, tel. 22 828 4998.

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Open daily 9:00-22:00. This café/bookshop doubles as the events room for the Institute of Reportage, so it’s scant surprise to learn the regulars are armed to the teeth with notebooks and macs. Buzzing like a cafe should, it packs out for slideshows and seminars. Żywiciel (Żoliborz) pl. Inwalidów 10, tel. 22 322 8228, www.zywiciel.pl. Open daily 9:00-23:00.

This hipster café has gained a solid following thanks to its broad menu of breakfast choices.

Casual, relaxing atmosphere, enhanced by the art hanging on Żywiciel’s brick walls.

wine bars

C.K. Oboźna Cafe Bar (E3) ul. Oboźna 9, tel. 22 826 8317. Open Mon-Fri 8:30-last guest; Sat 10:00-last guest; Sun 10:00-last guest. This slick wine bar just off Krakowskie Przedmieście has plumped up its offer with all day breakfasts (zł.9.90, coffee or tea included) happy hours (12:00-16:00, 19:00-22:00) and sports broadcasts. Great, simple food and excellent wines from Austria and beyond.

Charlotte (D6) pl. Zbawiciela, tel. 22 628 4459. Open Mon- Fri 7:00-24:00; Sat 9:00-24:00; Sun 9:0022:00. Further proof of Zbawiciela’s rising star is Charlotte, a trendy boulangerie/wine bar. With seating spilling out underneath the colonnades outside, this is guaranteed to be the hit of the summer. Pandering to the hipsters and trendies, you’d expect this sort of place in Hoxton, London.

Enoteka (C2) ul. Długa 23/25, tel. 22 831 3443, www.enotekapolska.pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-midnight; Sun 13:00-17:00. Located just outside the Old Town, this minimalist wine bar is a great place for a date. Wines from top European makers are impressive and the prices are very decent. BEST WAWA 2010 “Best Wine Bar” Winner Esencja Smaku (D9) ul. Odolańska 10, tel. 22 845 0944, www.esencjasmaku.pl. A small bistro characterized by a casual décor and a laidback atmosphere. Includes a seasonal menu of light dishes.

Guccio Domagoj (Żoliborz) ul. Suzina 8, tel. 22 392 7438, www.winachorwackie.pl. Open Tues-Sun 12:00-22:00. A sweet and intimate little place

CAFES/WINE BARS run by a charismatic Croatian, who stocks a huge variety of wines from his homeland.

Very reasonably priced.

Joseph’s Wine & Food ul. Duchnicka 3, tel. 22 320 2989, www.josephwinebar.pl.

Open Mon-Sat 12:00-23:00. This newly- opened restaurant, bar and wine shop features great atmosphere and amiable staff. Don’t come here for a quick dinner. Instead, come here to drink the wine and savor the rich and inventive meals. Service is slow, but rightly so, leaving guests with just enough time to regain their appetite for seconds. Being firmly tucked away from the center in a renovated factory allows you to easily whittle away the hours.

Jung & Lecker (C5) ul. Emilii Plater 14, tel. 22 866 6749, www.prawdziwewina.pl. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-20:00; Sat 10:00-18:00. J&L’s new wine bar on ul.Emilii Plater 14 offers minimalist, café-style chic. The locale offers daily specials

that feature two four-course menus. The shops’ wines are sourced directly from 15 wineries in Germany’s famed Pfalz, Rheinhessen, Rheingau and Mosel regions.

La Passion du Vin (C4) ul. Złota 59, tel. 22 222 0495, www.winnica.pl. Open Mon-Sat 10:00-22:00; Sun 10:00-20:00. Located in the Złote Tarasy shopping center, this chic wine bar features wines from France, South America, Israel, Italy and Australia. Sample some fine wine or treat yourself to the buy-one-get-one-free-lunch deal accompanied by a perfectly-matched wine.

Magazyn Butelek (D4) ul. Bracka 20, tel. 22 412 3124.

Open daily noon-last guest. Sample wine from various regions in this laid-back wine joint. Treat yourself to some lunchtime specials or nibble on some generously portioned pincho and tapas. Great Argentine beef and international specialties.

Merliniego 5 (E10) ul. Merliniego 5, tel. 22 646 0849,

www.merliniego.pl. Set up like a New York bistro, Merliniego 5 is a cross between a whisky bar and steakhouse. It’s sophisticated, but not snooty and has some truly excellent steak and salad.

Mielżyński Wine Bar (A1) ul. Burakowska 5/7, tel. 22 636 8709, www.mielzynski.pl. Open daily 9:00-24:00 (kitchen closes at 23:00). Some call it the best wine bar in Warsaw, others the best in Poland. Either way, this place hits the right notes with a wonderfully simple gourmet menu, old and new world wines and a chic warehouse design filled to bursting with crates and boxes.

Vinobilia w Rogatce (E7) Pl. Unii Lubelskiej 1, tel 022 423 4904, www.vinobilia.pl. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-21:00; Sat-Sun 14:00-21:00. Run by Frenchmen and set in a pre-war building. Choose among 12 different varieties of wine from all over France.

Vinoteka 13 + Wine Bar (D3) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 16/18,

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EATING OUT >> tel. 22 492 7407, www.vinoteka13.pl.

Open Mon-Sun 11:00-last guest. This premium wine shop and bar is tucked away in the beautiful Likus Concept Store. It sports a wide selection of fine wines from Italy, France, Austria, and Spain, along with some stronger spirits and Cuban cigars at a varied price range. Also serves a tasting menu of cheeses and deli meats.

Vintage (C4) ul. Emilii Plater 9/11, www.korkociag.pl, tel. 22 625 4197. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-last guest; Sun 14:00-last guest. Korkociąg is now Vintage – the décor is slightly gaudy but the impressive Hungarian wine list has stretched to include great (though pricey) selections from the rest of Europe.

Winiarnia Kotłownia ul. Suzina 8, tel. 22 833 2327, www.winiarnia-kotlownia.pl. Open 12:00-last guest. Bricks and girders lend a factory feel, while an Italian influenced menu poses plenty of dilemmas. Sunshine pours in through huge vertical windows, bathing this wine kingdom in plenty of light.

polish

Ale Gloria (E5) Pl. Trzech Krzyży 3, tel. 22 584 7080, www.alegloria.pl. Open daily 11:00-23:00.

Who said romance was dead? Here wedding white colors are fused with a strawberry motif inside this gourmet fave. Keeping patrons returning are aromatic dishes with a contemporary twist – try the duck in rose sauce. $$$ BEST WAWA 2010 Capital Living Award Amber Room at the Sobański Palace (E5)

Al. Ujazdowskie 13, tel. 22 523 6664, www.kprb.pl/amber. Open for lunch Mon-Fri 12:00-15:00, Dinner Mon-Fri 18:00-22:00, Sat 19:00-22:30 The Amber Room restaurant is spectacularly situated directly opposite Łazienki Park in the Pałac Sobańskich, a prewar villa beautifully renovated some ten years ago. the addition of Executive Chef Jacek Grochowina has upped the ante substantially.

Under his tutelage the restaurant snagged all of the top awards in the 2010 Wine & Food Noble Night. $$$ Belvedere Restaurant (F8)

ul. Agrykoli 1, (entrance from ul. Parkowa), tel. 22 558 6700, www.belvedere.com.pl.

Open daily 12:00-last guest. Set in an atmospheric greenhouse, known as the

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‘New Orangery’ in the Royal Łazienki Park, this landmark fine dining establishment features renditions of Polish, European and Nouvelle Cuisine, within elegant red, gold and black interiors. $$$ BEST WAWA 2010 “Best European Cuisine” Winner Biała Gęś ul. Belwederska 18A, tel. 22 840 5060, www.bialages.pl. Open 12:00-last guest.

All the props and staff of its predecessor (Tradycja Polska) are present, with the conspicuous add-on being flocks of white geese. And indeed, goose is the big draw here – these guys can fix you a whole bird if you book in advance (zł. 460 for four). As can be said of all places bearing Magda Gessler’s initials, the desserts are something else. $$$ Bistro Przekąski Zakąski (D3) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 13, tel. 22 826 7936. Open daily 24hr. An eat-while-you-stand venue serving up eight złoty bites specifically designed to act as emergency stomach lining for a pre/postparty crowd of vodka sinking glamour cats. $ Chłopskie Jadło (D6) pl. Konstytucji 1, tel. 22 339 1717; ul. Wierzbowa 9/11, tel. 22 827 0351. A chain enterprise designed to mimic a peasant inn, what with all the clunky pots and rustic supplements. And if it’s farmers fare you’re after then the food isn’t bad either, with thick, lumpy servings of countryside classics. $ Cuda Wianki ul. Przekorna 15 (Powsin), tel. 22 498 1508.

Open Mon-Fri 12:00-22:00; Sat-Sun 11:0022:00. Standing at the foot of Kabaty Forest, the interiors here are simply adorable, and heavily influenced by folk art. Co-owned by a tennis pro and his parents, this family have sought to develop their own menu, based on standard Polish fare, but with twists and turns they have gathered through prior experience.

The results are excellent, especially the herring. $ Dekanta (D6) ul. Marszałkowska 55/73, tel. 22 622 4594.

Open Mon-Fri 12:00-last guest; Sat 13:00-last guest. A golden-oldies-themed eatery with a good grill and serious cocktails. Be sure to try their most popular dishes: duck and golonka. $$ Delicja Polska (D6) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 45, tel. 22 826 4770, www.delicjapolska.pl.

Open daily 12:00-last guest. It’s one of those

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few places where the food is fabulous, service efficient and discreet and the interior reminiscent of a fairytale dining room. $$ Dom Polski (H4) ul. Francuska 11, tel. 22 616 2432, www.restauracjadompolski.pl. Open daily 12:00-last guest. Built for moments when nothing but the best will do. Prices are premium, but this piece of high society features an aristocratic temperament and fine Polish cuisine served with an elegant flourish. $$$ Dyspensa (E5-6) ul. Mokotowska 39, tel. 22 629 9989, www.dyspensa.pl. Open 12:00-23:00.

Back after a refit, Dyspensa now looks altogether sharper, cosmopolitan even.

There’s great people watching to be had from the raised window seating, and a menu of fine Polish fare with international accents. $$ Folk Gospoda (B3) ul. Waliców 13, tel. 22 890 1605, www.folkgospoda.pl. Open 12:00-midnight.

If it’s the all-singing, all-dancing village experience you’re after then consider this place. Clad in wood and rural debris the food is what you expect: bulky portions of farmyard kill. $$ Gospoda Kwiaty Polskie (C1) ul. Wąski Dunaj 4/6/8, tel. 22 887 6520.

Open 10:00-23:00. Gospoda Kwiaty Polskie (Polish Flowers) specialises in Polish cuisine and is known for dishing out some very generous portions. The placki ziemniaczane and kopytka come highly recommended. $$ Grand Kredens (B5) Al. Jerozolimskie 111, tel. 22 629 8008, www.kredens.com.pl. Open Mon-Fri 10:00-last guest; Sat & Sun 11:00-last guest. Delicious traditional Polish dishes such as golonka, żurek, karkówka and kaszanka, served in hearty portions in very eclectic interiors. $$ Honoratka (C2) ul. Miodowa 14, 022 635 0397, www.honoratka.com.pl. Open daily 12:00-last guest. This place has been around since 1826 and has played host to many famous guests, including Chopin. Now Honoratka serves delicious traditional Polish dishes and international courses. Live music every day from 18:00. $$ Inn Under the Red Hog (B3) ul. Żelazna 68, tel. 22 850 3144,

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EATING OUT >> www.czerwonywieprz.pl. Open daily 12:0024:00. Bathed in banners and propaganda the Red Hog is your one-stop shop for some socialist socializing. Dine on ‘Brezhnev dumplings’ and ‘capitalist soup’ while Cold War bigwigs gaze from the paintings above. $$ Karczma Słupska (G6) ul. Czerniakowska 127, tel. 22 841 4552.

Open daily 11:00-22:00. A jewel-of-arestaurant. After 26 years of steady operation, the charming Polish tradition and excellent food still pulls people in. $ Karmnik (D1) ul. Piwna 4A, tel. 22 468 0664. Open 11:00last guest. There’s a new reason to go to old town, and that’s Karmnik. What was once a pokey tourist restaurant has been reinvented as a hip haunt for cool cats. The menu is decent, basic Polish, but it’s the art-mosphere that gets people coming back. Expect a variety of events going off inside vaulted interiors that are frequently full. $ Literacka (D3) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 87/89, tel. 22 635 8995. Open 11:00-24:00. The food is decent and prices are very reasonable, but the service leaves something to be desired. With a great view of the Old Town, the location is choice. $ MG Eat Gessler (D4) ul. Chmielna 32. Open 10:00-23:00.

Now MG is not your signature Gessler venture; lacking the OTT interiors and flamboyant prices this is a clear departure from what we’re used to. In fact, you couldn’t even call it a restaurant, more a bio café/deli. The ciabbattas are great, and the FroYo outstanding. $ Na Zielnej (C4) ul. Zielna 37, tel. 22 338 6333, www.nazielnej.pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-24:00; 12:00-22:00. Earning plaudits from all corners of the press is Na Zielnej, a dining diva who sources only the finest Polish produce. Split into a restaurant and (marginally cheaper) bistro, the menu has had foodies raving, and includes divine dishes such as pheasant’s breast. And the interiors hit the mark as well – making use of the space vacated by KOM, Na Zielnej touts an edgy, engaging design of bare bricks and violet flourishes. $$$ Nowa La Boheme (D2) pl. Teatralny 1, tel. 22 692 0681, www.laboheme.com.pl. Open 12:00-last guest. The ingredients here may be Polish, but the exquisite presentation and chic

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interiors are still decidedly continental.

Well-suited for business lunches. $$ Pierogarnia (D2) ul. Bednarska 28/30, tel. 22 828 0392, www.pierogarnianabednarskiej.pl. Open 11:00-21:00. A perfect place to bring a foreigner hungry for a taste of Poland.

Pierogarnia serves a whole range of sweet and savory dumplings, with plenty of vegetarian options. $ Pod Samsonem (C1) ul. Freta 3/5, tel 22 832 1788, www.podsamsonem.pl. Open 10:00-23:00. An extensive repertoire of traditional Polish foods that you know, from Jewish-style carp to duck with apples. The place for an ordinary meal in an ordinary space. The service is mixed, and occasionally hostile, but prices are low. $ Podwale Piwna Kompania (D2) ul. Podwale 25, tel. 22 635-6314, www.podwale25.pl. Open Mon-Sat 11:0001:00; Sun 12:00-01:00. Towering, bumper portions of animals & veg plus low-cut prices keep this place rammed, while frothing Pilsner mugs and a circulating mountain band add an element of beery, good humor. $ Polka (D2) ul. Świętojańska 2, www.restauracjapolka.pl, tel. 22 635 3535. Open 12:00-23:00. Colorful pastel interiors inspired by Polish folk art set the tone for this place. The servings are small, but the food is top notch. $$

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a posse of attentive waiters. The prices are fair and the menu is a thoughtful selection of dishes from “Old Poland.” BEST WAWA 2010 “Best Polish Cuisine” Winner Restauracja Staromiejska (D1) pl. Zamkowy 15/19 in the Old Town Square, www.restauracjastaromiejska.pl, tel. 22 831 0259. Open 10:00-midnight. This restaurant serves true, traditional Polish delights. The duck stands out especially, crisp and glazed with cranberries, apples and what-not.

To finish, try the wonderful szarlotka with whipped cream and ice cream. $$ Rialto’s Restaurant (D5) ul. Wilcza 73 (Rialto Boutique Hotel), tel. 22 584 8771. Open Mon-Fri 6:30-22:30; Sat-Sun 7:00-22:30. Bathed in toffee and vanilla hues, the restaurant in this Art Deco hotel has a solid claim as one of the top meals around. The pan-seared duck breast with honey pumpkin and figs is every bit as inspired as it sounds. $$$ Smaki Warszawy (D5) ul. Żurawia 47/49, tel. 22 621 8268, www.smakiwarszawy.pl. Open 9:00-last guest. Well-known on the Warsaw scene as a delightful Polish restaurant (try the lamb, for sure), Smaki Warszawy is also renowned for its cakes. Smiling and welcoming staff pour amazing lattes and serve up slices of fantastic pistachio cream cake. $$

Stary Dom (E12) ul. Puławska 104/106, tel. 22 646 4208, Restauracja Pod Gigantami (E5) www.restauracjastarydom.pl. Open 12:00Al. Ujadowskie 24, tel. 22 629 2312, 23:00. This “old house” serves good old www.podgigantami.pl. Open 12:00-last guest. traditional Polish food. The atmospheric main The turn-of-the-century décor brings with it hall features high ceilings and eye-catching an indelible mark of years gone by. But even wooden beams; mains include rabbit, duck if the food is only satisfactory, the wine list is (the house special) and pork cutlets, while pretty nice. $$ the desserts are divine. What sets this place apart from other Polish restaurants are the prices. $$

Restauracja Polska “Różana” (E8) ul. Chocimska 7, tel. 22 848 1225, www.restauracjarozana.com.pl.

Open 12:00-last guest. It isn’t just the impressionable tourists and new-in-town expense account communities that are swept away by Różana’s charms. It features starchy white table linen, floral pieces, flickering candles and live piano solos to

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U Fukiera (D1) Rynek Starego Miasta 27 (Old Town Market Square), tel. 22 831 1013, www.ufukiera.pl.

Open 12:00-last guest. This townhouse has 500 years of history behind it, during which time bills have been settled by princes and presidents, models and musicians.

Reminiscent of a stately home, this maze of enticing alcoves wins for an extravagant menu of locally sourced game. $$$ U Szwejka (D6) pl. Konstytucji 1, tel. 22 339 1710,

POLISH/AFRICAN/AMERICAN www.uszwejka.pl. Open Mon-Fri 8:00-24:00; Sat 10:00-24:00; Sun 13:00-24:00. The place is named after a tubby fictional Czech soldier, but the grub is hearty Polish, portioned out in size XXXL at bargain prices. At zł. 15 per litre of beer, the mugs are constantly refilled to wash down the feast of sausages, ribs and roast pork knuckles. $$ BEST WAWA 2010 “Best Dinner Deal” Winner Villa Nuova (Wilanów) ul. Stanisława Kostki-Potockiego 23 (near the Wilanów Palace), tel. 22 885 1502, www.villanuova.pl. Open 12:00-last guest.

Out of the way, but serving trad Polish cuisine with a gourmet twist, and beautifully presented, gorgeously rich desserts. $$$ Winiarnia i Gospoda nad Jeziorem (Józefów) ul. Nadwiślańska 96B, tel. 667 770 790, www.nadjeziorem.pl. Open Tues-Fri 14:0021:00; Sat-Sun 12:00-20:00. One of our favorite hidden gems for a quaint afternoon or evening away from the city. Just about twenty minutes outside of the center, this lodge-style restaurant specializes in fine wines from Bordeaux and traditional Polish food. $$

african

Home Africa Bar (Wola) ul. Górczewska 67. Open 14:00-last guest.

Authenticity doesn’t only stem from the Cameroonian owner. Home Africa Bar is like an African film set in terms of interior, and food-wise, it offers traditional yams and plaintains, as well as ‘I-dare-you’ items like goat’s head. $

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La MaMa Africa (C1) ul. Andersa 23, tel. 22 226 3505, www.lamama.eu. Open Mon-Sat 11:00-last guest; Sun 13:00-24:00. The exteriors don’t go beyond some tribal paintings and exotic lamps, while parts of the menu will frighten the life out of you – baked cow back, for example, sounds like a cooked spinal cord.

Our beef/tomato stew was excellent, but the goat meat saw plenty of tactical napkin use.

And good luck with the gizzard. $$

american & tex-mex

Amigos American Steakhouse (B5) Al. Jerozolimskie 119, tel. 22 629 3969, www.restauracjaamigos.pl. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-24:00; Sat-Sun 11:00-23:00. Sometimes all you need is a good steak to make everything okay. This is the place to find one. $$

Champions Sports Bar (D5) Café Baobab (H4) Marriott Hotel, al. Jerozolimskie 65/79, ul. Francuska 31, tel. 22 617 4057. Open tel. 22 630 5119, www.champions.pl. Open 10:00-23:00. Café Baobab serves Senagelese 11:00-23:00. Long-known on the Warsaw classics like thiebu djen, mafe yap and yassa scene as a sports bar – ideal for large groups ginar. It’s adapted to Polish tastes, but say the of large guys drinking large amounts of beer :DUVDZ,QVLGHUBUHNODPDB [ PP SGI word and authentic spiciness can appear. $ and watching a large-screen TV. $$

Hard Rock Cafe (C4) ul. Złota 59 (Złote Tarasy), tel. 22 222 0700, www.hardrockcafe.pl. Open 9:00-24:00.

Recognizable by the giant neon guitar outside, the two floor HRC boasts Warsaw’s best cheeseburger and a cool staff of skater boys and rock girls. Points of interest include rock’n’roll swag from Hendrix and Madonna, as well as regular live music. $$ Jeff’s (B8) ul. Żwirki i Wigury 32 (Pole Mokotowskie Park), tel. 22 825 1650, www.jeffs.pl. Open 10:00-24:00. Warsaw’s best breakfast aside, head to Jeff’s for mega-size portions of American classics of the burger-ribs variety. Find their twin branch in Galeria Mokotów, along with an identical roadhouse design of blinking neon. $ BEST WAWA 2010 “Best Breakfast Deal” Winner Mississippi Blues (H4) ul. Meksykańska 3, tel. 605 887 857. Open Sun-Thur 12:00-20:00; Fri-Sat 12:00-22:00.

Set down a side street in Saska, Zippy Blues is tiny, and we fully anticipate that being a problem once word gets out just how good it is. Decorated sparingly, the menu here includes homemade sauces, bread baked on-site, tasty Koreb beer as well as mains that number fantastic burgers and ribs of legend. $

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Sioux ul. Chmielna 35, tel. 22 827 8255, www.sioux.com.pl. Open 10:00-22:00;

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Food is our passion. Preparing, serving and enjoying a delicious meal is always inspiring.

The essential elements are: honest cooking, which can be traced back to the freshest ingredients; a great selection of wines, a welcoming atmosphere - we want our guests to feel at home, not to stand on display.

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22 Żurawia str., 00-515 Warsaw, tel. +48 (22) 502 31 18, opening times: Mon-Sat 12:00-22:00 www.butcheryandwine.pl/en, www.facebook.com/butcheryandwine

www.warsawinsider.pl

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EATING OUT >> Fri-Sat 10:00-23:00. You might want to point the shotgun hanging on the wall at the chef.

Decorated with horseshoes and feather headdresses, the only reason to show up is to humor a nagging infant. Food-wise, it’s little more than a cowboy-themed version of Sphinx: mass market food for those who don’t know better. $$ Someplace Else (E5) Sheraton Hotel, ul. Prusa 2, tel. 22 450 6707, www.someplace-else.pl. Open Mon 12:00-24:00; Tue-Thur 12:00-01:00; Fri & Sat 12:00-02:00; Sun 12:00-23:00. After a summer sabbatical, SPE are back, touting a new edgy look that makes use of concrete colors and exposed pipes. The spicy, sizzlin’ Tex-Mex is fab, and added incentive provided by the rousing rock bands. $$ T.G.I. Friday’s (B3) Al. Jana Pawła II 29 (Atrium Plaza), tel. 22 653 8360. Open Mon-Fri 10:00-24:00; Sat & Sun 12:00-24:00. The steaks are hit-and-miss,

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but the burgers always on-point inside this timeless tribute to the American way. $$ Warsaw Tortilla Factory (D5) ul. Wilcza 46 (entrance from ul. Poznańska), tel. 22 621 8622, www.warsawtortillafactory.pl. Open 12:00-last guest. An Insider favourite, principally thanks to brick-thick burritos that are all the better when layered with molten lava-like salsa. The barometer hits fever pitch on weekends when live bands entertain a mixed bag of jiggling ex-pats and lubricated students. $$

asian & indian

Annapurna (B5) ul. Twarda 56, tel. 22 409 4400. Open 11:30-22:00. Bland, sterile interiors have ceded way for typical curryhouse furnishings, lending a real authenticity to one of Warsaw’s best curries. The vindaloo hits a red-hot emergency level that’s unrivaled in town, and the offer extends to Thai,

Nepalese and a sprinkling of Chinese.

Arti (B5) Al. Jerozolimskie 121/123, tel. 22 626 9002, www.restauracjaarti.pl. Open daily 11:0022:30. An exhaustive selection of largely excellent Indian dishes inside a low-cost interior in the center of town. Better surroundings but the same quality are found in their ul. Francuska operation across the water. $ Asia Tasty (C3) pl. Żelaznej Bramy 1, tel. 22 654 6120.

Open 9:30-21:00. One of the great secrets of culinary Warsaw – for those In The Know this is the place for cheap, cheerful Asian food. Not that it looks like much, this is as basic as interiors get; leave the hot date outside while you pick-up a takeout. $ Bar Sajgon ul. Bracka 18. Open Mon-Thurs 9:00-22:00; Fri-Sat 9:00-24:00; Sun 13:00-21:00.

A cult budget eatery once found in the

REVIEW Bistecca ul. Branickiego 11, tel. 22 258 12 43, www.bistecca.pl. Open 12:00-23:00.

“ It was love at first bite for her, with a perfectly cooked steak and a sweet whisky sauce”

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theme of my recent Insider trips seems to have been that each time I’m sent to the ends of the earth to sample the capital’s culinary delights.

My visit to Bistecca in Wilanów was no exception. After taking what seemed like a never ending bus journey from the center, we then had to wander in the dark across some slabs of concrete randomly positioned over a patch of wasteland before arriving at our destination. My laissez-faire attitude to cold prevention meant that by arrival the first stages of frostbite were just taking over.

Yet inside I was pleased to find that this little meat-inspired restaurant was warm and very welcoming. I was also heartened to see the chef wheeling out the largest piece of steak I’ve ever seen, before serving it up to a table of happy looking customers. This almost swayed my hand in the ordering stakes but as I like a bit of variety I went for shrimps fried in chilli, followed by a mixed grill, while the lady went for duck pâté on homemade bread, followed by steak in Jack Daniels sauce.

The starters were really good, particularly the homemade bread, although admittedly I did have a small health problem after a piece of chilli got lodged in my throat – every breath I took made my eyes water.

By the time that issue was resolved the mains were arriving and here’s where our opinions on the meal differed somewhat. It was love at first bite for her, with a perfectly cooked steak with gnocchi and a sweet whisky sauce.

I, on the other hand, was brought a giant, boiling hot plate of meat that was completely raw on one side. After a few moments of confusion I realized I was meant to finish the cooking process myself which, although a novel idea, wasn’t exactly what I had in mind when I went out that night.

Having said that it did taste good and the mix grill contained a lamb chop (pretty rare in Warsaw) so I wouldn’t have any hesitation whatsover in recommending Bistecca – just remember to wrap up warm and to pack your apron because you might have to get your hands dirty if you want something nice to eat. (DI)

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PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF BISTECCA

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AMERICAN/ASIAN defunct Russian Market. Two years after the original went pop they’re back with a neat looking effort on Bracka. Decorated with palms and mint colors, this double decker restaurant gains particular approval for its pho dishes. $

23:00; Sat 12:30-23:00; Sun 12:30-22:00.

The spring rolls may “taste Polish,” but more authentic are the Cantonese loin in oyster sauce, the Tshingis Chan Mongolian Grill (all-you-can-eat for zł.65) and the succulent Peking Duck. $$

Bliss Restaurant (D2) Rynek Mariensztacki, tel. 22 826 3210. ul. Twarda 42 (off Rondo ONZ), tel. 22 620 3519, www.blissrestaurant.pl. Open daily 12:00-22:00. Longevity aside, Bliss (alive since ‘95) boast classically cliche interiors that make dramatic use of dragons and buddhas.

Inconsistent accuse some, though you’ll struggle to find better Chinese-style ribs. $$

Du-Za Mi-Ha (D4) ul. Widok 16, tel. 22 826 1871. Another Vietnamese joint, this one notable for fresh, healthy nem filled with crunchy, perky fibers. At 2 zlot per pop, there’s no excuse to miss it. $

Bombaj Masala (B3) ul. Starościńska 10/12, tel. 22 392 6475, www.bombajmasala.pl. A tiny backstreet curry cave in which guests sit shoulder-toshoulder while pots clang in the distance.

The food is top quality, and the prices fair.

And those looking for something a little more high end should swerve this and instead check their new venue on Jana Pawła (see p.32). $$ Bombaj Masala Al. Jana Pawła II 23, tel. 606 688 777. Open 11:00-23:00. A definite applicant for Poland’s best looking Indian, and instantly superior to Warsaw’s more shabby curry houses. The tikka masala is love at first bite, though the spice lever on the Madras needs jacking up.

Buddha (D4) ul. Nowy Świat 23, tel. 22 826 3501, www.buddha.info.pl. Open daily 11:00-23:00.

The days of the Raj are recreated in Buddha, a fine-looking curry house with intricate interiors and top-drawer curries. The murgh masala jhodphur is our favorite, a bottom burning curry that appears as ‘ouch’ on the spice scale. $ Canton (B2) ul. Smocza 1, tel. 22 838 3823, www.canton.warszawa.pl. Open daily 11:00-22:00. Here’s what Chinese restaurants used to look like in the days of Bruce Lee: filled with dragons and lanterns, this place is an outright assault on your sensory system.

Wokking away for over a decade, it’s actually not a bad place if you want an MSG booster.

The Gong Bao chicken gets approval. $$ Cesarski Pałac (D2) ul. Senatorska 27, tel. 22 827 9707, www.cesarskipalac.com. Open Mon-Fri 12:00-

Dziki Ryż (multiple locations) ul. Puławska 24b, tel. 22 848 0060, pl. Inwalidów 10, tel. 22 839 2540, ul. Wspólna 35, Tel. 22 628 1825, www.dzikiryz.pl. Open 12:00-22:00. Varied Asian cuisine with dishes from India, Thailand, China and Japan in a very charming setting. All locations of Dziki Ryż are popular and you’ll most likely need a reservation. $ Dżonka (D5) ul. Hoża 54, tel. 22 621 5015. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00; Sat & Sun 11:00-17:00. You say Thai and he says Chinese. You say somewhere graceful and he says nowhere showy. You say not too pricey and he says not too shoestring. Then sail into Dżonka. $

Hong Kong House (A6) ul. Filtrowa 70 (pl. Narutowicza), tel. 22 658 0068. Open Mon-Fri 12:00-22:00; Sat 12:00-22:00; Sun 12:00-22:00. Good food at affordable prices, cozy interior, and a staff whose friendly attitude makes up for their small mistakes. $$ India Curry (D5) ul. Żurawia 22, tel. 22 438 9350, www.indiacurry.pl.

Open daily 11:00-23:00.

Under new management, Warsaw’s most upmarket Indian restaurant is the corporate choice for when suits want it hot. Never short of excellent, the prawn curries are something else.

Katmandu (C5) ul. Wspólna 50/52, tel. 22 622 0026. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-23:00; Sat-Sun 12:00-23:00.

Nepalese, Thai and Indian dishes inside a no-effort, bare bones interior. But the curries are good, and occasionally excellent; set fire to your tonsils with a chicken madras. $

Galeria Bali & Buddha Bar (D3) ul. Jasna 22, tel. 22 828 6771, www.galeriabali.pl. Open 12:00-23:00. As a lavish gallery and restaurant in one, Galeria Bali offers an extensive menu based on exotic seafood, vegetables, spices and other specialites imported straight from Indonesia. Boasts an entirely Balinese kitchen staff and genuine artifacts from Bali, Burma and Java. $$

Lemongrass Oriental Restaurant & Bar (E6) Al.Ujazdowskie 8, tel. 22 696 3300, www.lemongrass.waw.pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-23:00; Sunday brunch 12:00-16:00.

Instead of the ubiquitous pasta station, you can order your soup starter to taste and watch it be put together. The Peking Duck station offers customized oh-so-thin pancakes rolled around succulent slices of the meat, spring onions, cucumber and palm sugar sauce. Ideal for business meets. $$ BEST WAWA 2010 “Best Brunch Deal” Winner

Ganesh (D5) ul. Wilcza 50/52, tel. 22 623 0266, www.ganesh.pl. Open 12:00-24:00.

When the service isn’t clanking around, dropping things or misplacing orders, they’re weaving between tables delivering what’s a definite candidate for Poland’s top curry. Inconsistencies abound, but the Madras is superb and the interiors chic, dark and moody. $

Loving Hut (B2) Al. Jana Pawła II 41A, tel. 888 555 568, www.lovinghut.waw.pl. Open Mon-Sat 11:00-21:00, Sun 12:00-20:00. At first glance you may dismiss it as another Vietnamese greasy spoon. Big mistake. It turns out this is the Warsaw branch of a global chain backed by a spiritual master (Chiang Hai).

The reading material may look a bit cultish, but the food is delicious. $

Herezja (A3) ul. Chłodna 35/37, tel. 503 074 175, www.herezja.com. Open Sun-Thurs 12:0023:00; Sat-Sun 12:00-3:00. This exotic locale lies off the beaten track in Warsaw’s central Wola district. A seasonal labyrinth of rooms decked out with elegant furnishings from all over Asia. Great for private parties.

Maharaja India (D6) ul. Marszałkowska 34/50, tel. 22 621 1392, www.maharaja.pl. Open daily 12:00-23:00.

A bedraggled looking old-timer set inside some showpiece Soviet concrete. Oily, unstimulating curries are the order of the day, so it’s surprising to learn the butter chicken is >> amongst the best in the city. $$

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EATING OUT >> Maharaja Thai (D1) ul. Szeroki Dunaj 13, tel. 22 635 2501.

Open daily 12:30-23:00. This Thai restaurant in the Old Town is one of the most authentic and most romantic. Great green curries in a tucked-away, magical location.

Mandala (C4) ul. Emilii Plater 9/11, tel. 662 019 666, www.mandalaklub.com or www.indiaexpress.pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:0022:00; Sun 13:00-21:00 While it caters to a party crowd in the evening, this place is run

by Nepalese chef Prakash and features a menu of authentic treats throughout the day and evening. Also offers delivery through its India Express catering service. $ Namaste India (D1, D5) ul. Piwna 12/14, ul. Nowogrodzka 27, tel. 22 696 3856, www.namasteindia.pl.

Open Mon-Thur 11:00-23:00; Fri-Sat 11:0004:00; Sun 12:00-22:00. If waiting times are anything to go by this is quite probably the most popular curry in town, and yes, pretty much everything they make is of gold star standard. Find the original, more modest version on Nowogrodzka, and a (very) slightly more upmarket offering in Old Town. $

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Natara Al. Solidarności 129/131, tel. 666 101 500, www.natara.pl. Open 10:00-22:00. Natara would really benefit from a professional re-design, a new location even. Set on the noman’s land of Solidarności, you wonder just how many people are going to walk through

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the door. But the no-arrivals are missing out, and this earns big ticks for a fantastic menu. The deep fried pork ribs with chili are a win-win in terms of price and quality. $$ The Oriental (E5) The Sheraton Hotel, ul. B. Prusa 2, tel. 22 450 6705. Open Mon-Fri 12:00-15:00, 18:00-23:00; Sat 18:00-23:00; Sun 12:0016:00 (brunch). Dark, intimate and very quiet hotel restaurant serving Thai, Philippine, Singaporean and Japanese dishes. The waiters are well versed in what the menu offers, so trust their recommendations. $$$ Papaya (E4) ul. Foksal 16, tel. 22 826 1199, www.papaya.waw.pl. Open daily 12:00-24:00.

Papaya’s uncluttered, contemporary club-style space is classy with hints of luxury imparted by the strategically placed, top-notch cognac and sparkling wine. The Pan-Asian menu favors Thai and Japanese, but there’s also Chinese dim sum and Peking Duck. $$ BEST WAWA 2010 “Best Asian Cuisine” Winner Pekin (C2) ul. Senatorska 27, tel. 22 827 4804, www.restauracjapekin.pl. Open daily 12:0023:00. For a culinary trip to Beijing, you need only go as far as Pekin. The interior is a bit basic, but the food is usually very good. $$

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Royal India (B3) ul. Jana Pawła II 45A, lokal 43, tel. 22 487 7077, www.royalindia.waw.pl. Open daily 11:00-

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23:00. After a brief improvement, Royal India are back to square one. “I had better curries at school,” claimed one reader in between dashes to the toilet. Neither will the still, solemn atmosphere improve your mood. $$ Saffron Spices (D6) Pl. Konstytucji 3, www.saffronspices.pl. Open 11:00-20:00. Disregarding the wires sticking out of walls and the builders roaming about, what looks like a construction site is actually a highly good curry. The menu is more limited than most, but includes a great murgh tikka masala. If you’re not a fan of power drill acoustics give it a couple of weeks till their fit-out is finished. $ Sayam (Konstancin) ul. Sienkiewicza 5, tel. 22 756 3343, www.sayam.pl. Open daily 12:00-22:00.

A tropical treasure in the heart of Konstancin – Sayam serves up some satisfying pan-Asian cuisine in thoroughly fresh, modern interiors.

The summer garden is the perfect place to while away the weekends for adults and kids alike. Definitely try the sticky ribs and spring rolls. Also offers cooking classes. $$ BEST WAWA 2010 “Best Newcomer” Winner Sunanta Thai Restaurant (D5) ul. Krucza 16/22, tel. 22 434 2216, www.sunanta.pl. Open Mon-Fri 12:00-23:00; Sat 13:00-23:00; Sun 13:00-21:00. Small but perfectly formed interiors and a menu that’s widely hailed by Thai devotees. The green beef curry is outstanding. $$

BRITISH/ASIAN/BALKAN/FRENCH Suparom Thai (D6) ul. Marszałkowska 45/49, tel. 22 627 1888, www.suparomthaifood.pl. Open daily 11:00-23:00. Lovely interior with Siamese gold ornaments and gleaming dark wood. The shrimp cakes are always worth a try. $$

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Suparom Thaifood II ul. Walbrzyska 40, tel. 22 853 3087, www. suparomthaifood.pl. Tiny, when compared to its parent on Marszałkowska, and distinctly unassuming. Suparom’s green curry is the ‘best in the world’ according to one reader, and while such a superlative begs for a challenge, none is forthcoming – not from us, anyhow. $$ Tien-Tien (C2) ul. Długa 29, tel./fax 022 635 3888.

Open daily 10:00-22:00. A stained and seedy haunt that will look immediately familiar to readers who’ve strayed before inside Warsaw’s Vietnamese joints. Some rate the food - we don’t. $ Toan Pho (D4) ul. Chmielna 5/7, tel. 888 147 307. Mon-Fri 9:30-23:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-22:00. Toan Pho’s bowls of soup with rice noodles come highly recommended; as does the chaos intrinsic to this type of casual Asian eatery. The short menu is in Vietnamese with Polish decoding – although you can ask for an English version.

Tobaya (B3) ul. Ogrodowa 58, tel. 22 520 2222, www.tobaya.pl. Open 12:00-23:00. Inside it’s like a trip to the Far East. ToBaYa stands for To – for Tokyo because you’ll find great sushi and claypots here (same proprietor as So-An sushi on Koszykowa St.), Ba – for Bangkok and the flavorful dishes of Thailand, and Ya – for Yakarta, with rare Indonesian culinary treats. Top choice for two: Pla Prik-Waan a.k.a royal gilthead baked in hot-and-sour sauce.

Yummy (D5) ul. Wilcza 20. Open 10:00-22:00. As the name notes, guests can look forward to tasty Asian fare with a strong Vietnamese accent.

Interiors are modern and minimal, and a welcome withdrawal from the sleazy style common in most Asian haunts. The Peking duck is a strong starter, and the Pho soups are fab. $

balkan & russian

Banja Luka (E8) ul. Puławska 101, tel. 22 854 0782,

www.banjaluka.pl. Open daily 12:00-24:00.

Summer’s back, and with it one of the best gardens around. Enjoy a variety of dishes from Croatia and Serbia inside interiors typical of the hunter’s hut style. It’s a bustling place mind, and reservations are advised. $$ Babooshka (E3) ul. Oboźna 9, lok. 102, tel. 22 406 3366; ul.

Krucza 41/43, tel. 22 625 1040, www.babooshka.pl. Open 10:00-22:00.

This is one of those places that you enter knowing straight away that you want more. Try the bacon-and-tomato-scented Solanka soup and the pielmieni “Moskiewskie.” $ Mała Gruzja (D5) ul. Nowogrodzka 40, tel. 660 880 724, www.mala-gruzja.pl. Open daily 12:00-23:00.

Indulge in great Gregorian dishes in this quaint restaurant. The saciwi walnut sauce is sure to make a lasting impression, though the wines leave something to be desired. $

british

Fish & Chips (D6) ul. Koszykowa 30, www.fishandchips.pl.

Open Mon-Fri 11:30-21:00; Sun 13:00-19:00.

One of the ex-pat hits of 2010, and now suitably enlarged to cope with the custom.

Serving fish’n’chips, battered sausage and all the staples of a dart players diet, the Anglophiles running this joint have it down to a tee – with the menu even including deep fried Mars Bars and Snickers. Even better, they’ve a range of import goodies that run from novelty sauces to West Country cider (see food shops for more details). $

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Kogel Mogel ul. Powstancow Śląskich 106/lok5, tel. 22 408 1101, www.restauracjakogelmogel.pl.

Open Mon-Fri 12:00-22:00; Sat 11:0023:00; Sun 11:00-21:00. Excellent English breakfasts, but why do they stop serving them so early? Does the specialist breakfast maker go home with the sausages?? Small on the inside, this place has black and white accents and post-modern touches, as well as an international menu with Brit contributions: the rhubarb crumble is excellent.

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Legends ul. Emilii Plater 25, tel. 22 622 4640, www.legendsbar.pl. Open 12:00-last guest.

It’s a British pub first and foremost, but don’t forego the kitchen either. The all-day breakfast is a great way to stoke up your drinking powers, while other dishes of note

inc. pies, sausages and mash and, of course, fish and chips. $$

french

Bistro de Paris – Michel Moran (D3) Pl. Piłsudskiego 9, tel. 22 826 0107, www.restaurantbistrodeparis.com. Open MonSat 12:00-24:00. Bistro de Paris has always won the highest accolades from reviewers ranging from the Insider to Michelin. Here the food is exquisite, dynamic and flawless; whilst the service itself shines through all on its own. Perfect for dinner with the boss or wining and dining clients. $$ BEST WAWA 2010 “Best Service” Winner L’Arc ul. Puławska 16, tel. 503 171 682, www.larc. pl. Open 10:00-last guest. An elegant white/ black eatery with elaborate plate presentations and crustaceans lurking in the water tank – the house specialty is lobster, and they’ve got it to a tee. $$ La Petite France (H4) ul. Zwycięzców 28, tel. 22 622 9646, www.lapetitefranceneostrada.pl. Has a very respectable selection of cheese – from soft to hard varieties. $$ La Table ul. Nowogrodzka 38, tel. 22 622 9214, www.latable.com.pl. Open Mon-Fri 12:00-15:00, 17:00-22:00; Sat 15:00-22:00.

La Table looks classy, with rich, dark colors and the kind of design currently in favor with VIP rooms and cocktail bars. Bossing the kitchen is Thomas Rubio, and he’s designed a menu that’s easy to navigate and even easier to enjoy. The desserts are heaven but the mussels are the highlight – and served in traditional manner alongside French fries. $$ Prowansja (E6) ul. Koszykowa 1, tel. 22 621 4258, www.prowansja.pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-23:00; Sun 13:00-23:00. No need to go to a French cottage, the calming atmosphere and great food is right here. The dishes are very imaginative in their combination of various flavors. $$ Saint Jacques (D4) ul. Świętokrzyska 34, tel. 22 620 2531, www.saintjacques.pl. Open 12:00-23:00.

Warsaw’s had a long and lingering liaison with France, yet the cuisine remains under- represented. Less ceremonial than its competitors, this bistro plays the right notes

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EATING OUT >> with an intimate interior sprinkled with street signs and life-size black and whites of distant day Paris. The lamb shank is a winner, and the mussels do more than enough to distract from the construction catastrophe clunking outside.

Willa Borówka Hotel & Restaurant (Milanówek) ul. Królowej Jadwigi 5, tel. 22 425 3881, www.willaborowka.pl. Restaurant opens Mon 17:00-last guest; Tue-Sun 12:00- last guest. A wonderland outside of Warsaw. This beautifully-restored manor offers a wonderfully rich atmosphere and wonderful Belgian and French cuisine with delicious beers like the Blanche de Namur. $$

greek & middle eastern

Bar Turecki “Efes”(H4) ul. Francuska 1, tel. 22 616 2580. Open daily 10:00-20:00. So it’s a kebab shop, but when the kebabs are this good they’re well worth the listing. Either join the queue outside, or head indoors to sample the smattering of grill food and salads. $ El Greco (B3) ul. Grzybowska 9, tel. 22 654 0458. Open 11:00-23:00; Sat-Sun 12:00-23:00. The grapevine was right – there’s a new Greek in town and it’s the best of the bunch; the souvlaki are ace and the interiors modern, intimate and a pleasant departure from the Greek caricature. Plate smashing allowed and encouraged. $$ Le Cedre (F1) Al. Solidarności 61, tel.

22 670 1166, www.lecedre.pl. Open daily 11:00-23:00.

With the decadent dazzle of a bedouin tent, nights in Le Cedre are best celebrated with blasts on a sheesha and their Friday night belly dancer. Otherwise, just settle for the best Lebanese food in CEE; of particular note, the charcoal-grilled lamb chops. $$ Lokanta (C4) ul. Nowogrodzka 47a, tel. 22 585 1004, www.lokanta.home.pl. Open Mon-Fri 12:00last guest. The restaurant has built up its reputation of serving good-quality, traditional Turkish cuisine. The döner kebab will leave you full and happy and is served fast enough at lunchtime to keep up with your schedule.

Now throws Orient-inspired dance parties every weekend for Bangla fans. $$

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Maho (Ochota) Al. Krakowska 240/242, tel. 22 609 1548, www.maho.com.pl. Open 10:00-23:00. Found in that office/residential grey zone of Ochota, Maho looks more like a drive-thru burger joint from the outside. So it’s surprising to find some of the best skewered meats in Warsaw in this Turkish locale. Basic interiors but great food and well-stocked deli. $ Meltemi (Ochota) Corner of ul. Drawska and ul. Szczęśliwicka, tel. 22 823 9868. Open daily 12:00-23:00.

Serving a nouveau take on Greek, expect presentation over size, but it’s a fine escape from routine whenever you can’t get to the real thing. $$ Restauracja Flios (Ursynów) ul. Dereniowa 6, tel. 22 648 4589, www.restauracjaflios.pl. Open daily 12:0023:00. The décor is OTT, but there’s little to complain about when it comes to the food.

Excellent appetizers – zesty pikilia, stuffed grape leaves, meat cutlets and some of the best fried eggplant around. $$$

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Angelo (E5) ul. Wilcza 8, tel. 22 622 4454, www.bacio.pl. Open Sun-Thur 10:00-last guest; Fri & Sat 11:00-last guest. With a charming folklore interior, the candlelight will lead you into a world of sweet romance.

The delicate antipasti and Italian merlot will certainly ease you into good conversation. $$ Babalu (F1) ul. Kłopotowskiego 33, tel. 22 424 6666, www.babalu.pl. Open noon-23:00. Warsaw’s first all-you-can eat locale. You pay zł. 29,99 per person and enjoy a salad and fruit bar, grilled ribs or other meats, a pick-your-owningredients flaming wok, an endless selection of pastas and sauces, dumplings from around the world, reasonable drink prices, and a children’s play area. Catering available too. $

Boathouse (G4) ul. Wał Międzeszyński 389a, tel. 22 616 3331, www.boathouse.pl.

Open Mon-Sat 12:00-23:00; Sun 12:0022:00. For the supersize treatment head to Boathouse, a leviathan restaurant set in three acres of riverside parkland – perfect for Samira (C7) lazy Sundays with family and friends. Freshly Al. Niepodległości 213 (behind the National re-opened after a winter break, during which Library), tel. 22 825 0961, www.samira.pl. time Chef Luc has traveled the Mediterranean Open Mon-Sat 10:00-21:00; Sun 12:00-18:00. sourcing the best ingredients and snooping If you make the effort to find it, you’ll spot out new recipes. $$ ambassadors, celebrities and artists scarfing down their excellent Lebanese kofta. Here Brasserie@ferdy’s (C3) you will find chickpeas, tahini paste, bulgar ul. Grzybowska 24 (in the Radisson Hotel), tel. wheat, grape leaves, rose and orange 22 321 8822. Open daily 12:00-23:00. Vegetarflower water. Fresh cheese (Lebanese and ians will go hungry here, but carnivores will be Bulgarian) can be bought by weight from the in meaty heaven. Get the blackened chicken deli counter. $ with thick-cut Gaucho fries – fantastic. $$ Santorini (Saska Kępa) ul. Egipska 7, tel. 22 672 0525, www.kregliccy.pl/santorini.php. Open daily 12:00-23:00. Forgetting the rather dubious exterior, Santorini – decorated like a Greek fishermans tavern – remains one of the top restaurants of its ethnic class. The lamb chops are fab, but for a real plate licking experience order the milfei as dessert. $$

Butchery & Wine (D5)

ul. Żurawia 22, tel. 22 502 3118, www.butcheryandwine.pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-22:00. The steaks are beyond reproach inside B&W, a light, bright restaurant which you imagine both celebs and execs using – both mammals were present on our visit. And if the butchery part is spot on, so is the wine angle.

Trust the service, they know what’s best. $$

international & fusion

C.K. Oberża (D4) ul. Chmielna 28, tel. 22 828 4585, www.ckoberza.pl. Open Mon-Sat 11:00-24:00; Sun 12:00-24:00. A wood-looking eatery where towering plates of food present considerable challenge to carnivore appetites – come hungry. All the basic culinary needs are covered, while the Cesarska Deska Mięs features practically every animal to ever come out the wrong end of an abattoir. $$

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12 Stolików ul. Krucza 16/22, tel. 519 151 504. Open 9:0023:00. A good looking venue whose white confines are sprinkled with lifestyle/fashion titles, hanging steel lamps and the odd crate of wine. Start with the pumpkin chili soup served with a king shrimp, before having a go on the lamb chops. Outstanding.

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GREEK/INTERNATIONAL Deco Kredens (D4) ul. Ordynacka 13, tel. 22 826 0660, www.kredens.com.pl. Open Mon-Fri 10:00-last guest; Sat & Sun 11:00-last guest.

Elegant and ornate, but the menu is a tool of deception - the final results are nowhere near as tasty as they sound. $$ Downtown Restaurant (C4) ul. Emilii Plater 49 (InterContinental Hotel, level 2), tel. 22 328 888. Open daily for Breakfast 6:30-10:30; Mon-Fri Business Lunch 12:00-15:00, Sat Lunch 12:00-15:00, Sunday Brunch 12:30-16:00. Dinner 17:30-22:00 every Mon-Thurs. On Fridays, the Seafood of the World buffet dinner offers diners an unmatched spread of their favorite treats fresh from the sea.

Downtown’s menu features an array of tasty dishes prepared by the InterContinental’s new executive chef Thorsten Hoeck. Languorous Sunday Brunch. $$ Esencja Smaku ul. Marszałkowska 8, tel. 22 480 8018, www.delies.pl. Open 8:00-24:00; Fri-Sat 8:00-2:00; Sun 8:00-23:00. A long, narrow

space that’s a mix of bar, restaurant and ‘culture’ cafe – only this looks better than most. No second hand collectibles here, just a cool look accented by concrete colors and overhead pipes. The menu is a creative, light bite affair with dishes like gyutataki served to a hip crowd who’ve outgrown nearby Plan B.

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Etno ul. Grzybowska 5A, tel. 22 564 5780, www.etnoerestauracja.pl. Open 12:00-23:00; Sun 12:00-22:00. Looking rather sterile and anonymous, it’s no surprise to find Etno’s scattering of customers consisting of the grey-looking number crunchers from the offices upstairs. While it’s not exactly light on the wallet, the lunch deals make it more than worthwhile – a selected started and main for 20-something zlots. $$ Flaming & Co. (E6) ul. Chopina 5, tel. 22 628 8140, www.flaming-co.com. Open 7:30-24:00.

Soon celebrating their first birthday, Flaming are being touted as one of the best places in town. In fact, some insiders claim it the

best. Find a strong international offer inside interiors that could have been styled by Ralph Lauren. $$ Freta 33 (C1) ul. Freta 33/35, tel. 22 635 0931. Open 12:0023:00. Tasty dishes at reasonable prices.

Enjoy the beautiful view over the New Town Square through floor-to-ceiling windows. The pasta and salads are surprisingly tasty. $$ Fusion (B4) Westin Hotel, Al. Jana Pawła II 21, tel. 22 450 8631. Open Mon-Fri 6:30-10:30, 12:00-22:30; Sat & Sun 7:00-10:30, 12:00-22:30. A stylish restaurant that’s best recognized for its seriously good brunches.

See for yourself each Sunday, when zł. 165 gets you unlimited access to some top-range F&B. Turn up on Thursday night for a similar offer that’s focused on fish. $$$ Ginger (D4) ul. Zgoda 12, tel. 22 827 3003, www.ginger.com.pl. Open 24hr. The tropical interior would have looked great in the 80’s,

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EATING OUT >> nowadays it doesn’t. Who cares – it’s open round-the-clock, and design shortcomings can be overlooked when it’s five in the morning.

International menu, with a fusion twist. $$ Green Peas ul. Szpitalna 5, tel. 22 826 1985, www.greenpeas.pl. Open Mon-Fri 11:0020:00; Sat-Sun 12:00-20:00.With Ye Goode Foode nuked into touch, it’s been left to Green Peas to wave the eco-flag. Featuring vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free meals, it’s a well-rounded, health conscious offer here – probably the healthiest in the city. Low cal and low cost inside a greenish, cafeteria style space. $ Grill & Co (B9) ul. Żaryna 2B (Milllennium Park, Building C), tel. 22 646 0045, www.grill-co.com. Open 12:00-last guest. Featuring plexiglass seats and clean, dark woods this place could easily be mistaken as one of the trend dens on Mazowiecka. A top (m)eatery, the filet mignon is perfect, and served with generous sides. Prices, too, are pleasingly moderate. $$ H3 Gourmet Burger (C12) Galeria Mokotów, ul. Wołoska, www.h3.com.

Open 10:00-22:00, Sun 10:00-21:00.

Okay, so it’s in a food court, but H3 are a million times superior to the immediate neighbors. Part of a Portuguese chain, bunless burgers come in a variety of choices: including one with an egg on it (eek!). Go for the mushroom one instead. $

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Inside (B2) Al. Jana Pawła II 61, tel. 695 940 535, www.inside-restaurant.pl. Open daily 10:00-21:00. A new location with quality food that’s affordable and tasty. You can feel the freshness of ingredients in every bite you take and the staff is nice, friendly and professional. If you’re looking for an international fusion of tastes this is the place for you. Visit their website and you will receive zł.10 off of any order exceeding zł.50 (valid Mon-Fri after 15:00 and Sat-Sun 11:00-20:00). $$ Jazz Bistro Gwiazdeczka (D2) ul. Piwna 40, tel. 22 887 8764. Open daily 10:00-last guest ( the kitchen closes at 24:00). With a medieval yet chic décor, this charming restaurant in the Old Town is, among some others, a good choice. $$ Kultura ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 22/23, tel.

784 044 051. Open 11:00-23:00.

An initiative from the connecting artsy cinema. Looking slick and polished, creative effect is added by the use of colorful umbrella-style lights, while away from the frontline find the hard work done by the former chef at Dyspensa. And yes, it’s a dream team in the kitchen, with desserts and cakes fixed by those who made Café Misianka the legend it is. $$ La Rotisserie (C1) ul. Kościelna 12 (Le Régina Hotel), tel. 22 531 6000, www.leregina.com.

Open Mon-Fri 6:30-10:30, 12:00-23:00;

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Sat & Sun 7:00-11:00,12:00-23:00. Cooking becomes art in La Rotisserie, an impeccable restaurant with a sterling rep. Bossing it all is Paweł Oszczyk, a doyenne of the local culinary scene, and his interpretations of French cuisine prove second-to-none. $$$ Likus Concept Store (D3) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 16/18, tel. 22 492 7409, www.likusconceptstore.pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-23:00. This former bath house is adorned by columns and hand-painted glazed ceramics. A fine menu of fusion fare with an ‘artsy flair’ is guaranteed, with creative desserts to follow with. Over 300 Italian wine labels (not to mention tipples from Spain, France and Austria), as well a selection of cigars make Concept a number one choice for that all important meal. $$$ Love Bagels (D4) ul. Nowy Świat 50, tel. 511 818 957. Open 9:00-22:00, Sun 11:00-21:00. An eat-on-thestreet venture where fresh bagels are handed to customers through a mysterious, little hatch – the New York bagel is spot on. Office delivery as well. $ Marconi (D3) Le Meridien Bristol Hotel, ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 42/44, tel. 22 551 1823. Open daily: 6:30-10:30, 12:30-16:30, 18:00-23:00.

Sunday brunch: 12:30-16:30. Sun-kissed and flavorful – the quality at the Bristol’s Mediterranean-style restaurant is just what you’d expect from one of Warsaw’s top hotels – excellent. $$$

INTERNATIONAL Merliniego 5 (E10) Restaurant and Wine Bar, ul. Merliniego 5, tel. 22 646 0849, www.merliniego.pl. Set up like a New York bistro, Merliniego 5 is a cross between a whisky bar and steakhouse. It’s sophisticated, but not snooty and has some truly excellent steak and salad.

Meza Restaurant (A4) ul. Grzybowska 63 (Hilton Hotel). Open daily 6:30-23:00. The décor is decent and the service is very good but the food is wonderful – try the fettucini with king prawns in Chopin vodka. The Meza chocolate cake, warm and oozing liquid fudge is the most delectable bit. $$ Nowa Kuźnia ul. Stanisława Kostki-Potockiego 24, tel. 794 16 019, www.nowakuznia.pl. Open 12:00-last guest. Mere steps from Wilanów’s 18th Century church, this former blacksmiths passes muster with excellent steak and a cocktail list invented by Richard Winkler – former mastermind of Paparazzi and Porto Praga. The fish too is fantastic and fresh, meaning even without their clincher – the summer garden – it’s very much a destination to follow. $$ Opasły Tom (E4) ul. Foksal 17, tel. 22 621 1881. Open 10:0023:00; Sat-Sun 12:00-23:00. Are you in a restaurant or inside a book shop? The mind plays tricks in Opasły, the latest venture from the Kregliccy family (Santorini, Chianti etc).

Filled with hardback volumes and newspaper clippings, this trendy Foksal spot features a concise menu that includes chili shrimp. $$ Papu (D9) Al. Niepodległości 132/136, tel. 22 856 7788, www.restauracjapapu.pl. Open daily 10:00last guest. The elegant décor, complimented by fantastic staff, all combine to make this a relaxing and romantic experience. $$$

Consisting of creative Mediterranean dishes, the menu is packed with what can only be described as culinary revelations. It’s got a welcome atmosphere, something squared off by relaxing background music and a friendly staff. The food is excellent, not a weak point to criticize, and perfectly complimented by a price/quality ratio that’s too good for words.

Platter by Karol Okrasa (C4) InterContinental Hotel, ul. Emilii Plater 49, tel. 22 328 8734, www.platter.pl. Open 12:00-16:00,17:30-23:00. The hotel has roped in celebrity chef Karol Okrasa to head their revamped dining room. As a temple of nouveau Polish, the new layout isn’t a dramatic change from the previous occupant, Frida Restaurant - but the food is faultless. In particular, the herb garden salad with prawns comes immaculately groomed. An already excellent experience has been raised to talking point level. $$$ Porto Praga (F1) ul. Stefana Okrzei 23, tel. 22 698 5001, www.portopraga.pl. Open Mon-Thur 12:001:00; Fri-Sat 12:00-02:00; Sun 12:00-24:00.

Bathed in rich, ruby shades and Art Deco swirls, PP looks classy and elegant yet never too formal. Different species of Warsaw life happily co-exist here, enjoying a revamped menu courtesy of chef Marcin Wojtczak.

The cocktails are amazing as well – Bloody Mary is our standard bar-ometer, and here it passes the test with flying colors. $$$ Qchnia Artystyczna (E6) Zamek Ujazdowski, Al. Jazdów 2, tel. 22 625 7627, www.qchnia.pl.

Open 12:00-24:00. Suitably artistic eatery with imaginative dishes, lots for vegetarians, and a lovely park view from the terrace. $$ R20 (F5-6)

Passe Partout (H4) ul. Zwycięzców 21, tel. 22 616 2882, www.passepartout.pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-23:00; Sun 12:00-22.00. The diverse, international menu has in its number some delicious ribs in BBQ sauce. The interiors are pleasant and non-offensive, though pale in comparison when put head-to-head with the garden; a lush sanctuary, it’s one of the best around. $$ Piony Poziomy (D6) ul. Marszałkowska 21/25 (enter on ul. Oleandrów), tel. 22 406 4496, www.pionypoziomy.pl. Open 12:00-23:00.

ul. Rozbrat 20, tel. 22 628 0295. Open 07:30-22:00; Sat-Sun 9:00-22:00. This top-notch, casually elegant restaurant offers a concise, tantalizing selection of food with signature recipes from the head chef. Strongly recommended is the mouth-watering baked duck with orange and homemade ravioli. $$-$$$ Studio Buffo (E5) ul. M. Konopnickiej 6, tel. 22 339 0775, www.studiobuffo.com.pl. Open Mon-Fri 9:3023:00; Sat & Sun 13:00-23:00. Famous for its shows, Studio Buffo should not be forgotten

for its food. It’s a popular place with arty types, and the menu offers tasty mains. $$ Restauracja 99 (B4) Al. Jana Pawła II 23, tel. 22 620 1999, www.restaurant99.com. Open Mon-Thurs 8:00-23:00; Fri 8:00-24:00; Sat 15:00-24:00; Sun 12:00-22:00. The feeding trough of the business class. Back sporting a futuristic look, 99 have been pleasing diners since opening in the 90’s. The good news is they’re better than ever, with a modern international menu that includes one of the finest steaks in town, and the perfect margarita. $$ BEST WAWA 2010 “Best International Cuisine” Winner Restaurant Strauss (C4) Polonia Palace Hotel, Al. Jerozolimskie 45, tel. 22 318 2834, www.strauss.pl. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-16:00, 18:00-22:30, Sat-Sun 18:00-22:30. The owners tell us that they’ve totally revamped not only the interior, but also the menu and it now sports European cuisine. $$ Sense (D4) ul. Nowy Świat 19, tel. 22 826 6570, www.sensecafe.com.pl. Open Sun-Thur 12:00-24:00; Fri-Sat 12:00-02:00. Fusion food, top cocktails and the restobar concept: it all started here, or at least it did where Warsaw is concerned. Years on and Sense is still a market leader, with a menu that’s perfect bait for the hot lookers who come here – try the flame-grilled lamb chops, or one of several wok choices. $$ Sofa Clubistro (C5) ul. Emilii Plater 28 (entrance from ul. Nowogrodzka 56), tel. 22 626 1415, www.sofa.waw.pl. Open Mon-Fri 9:00-24:00; Sat 13:00-24:00; Sun 13:00-22:00. Take jazz, soften the edges and mix it with exotic food.

The result is Sofa. Excellent Panzerotti with artichokes and amazing ice-cream. $$ Solec (F4) ul. Solec 44, tel. 798 363 996, www.solec.waw.pl. Open Tue-Sun 12:00-last guest; Mon 16:00-last guest. The minimalist and laid-back interior comes courtesy of Martin Walli, a Swiss-Polish game freak, and kitchen guru Aleksander Baron. The casual bistro-cum-bar they built is a reflection of their passions, a place serving up a small, daily-changing menu of soul foods made from fresh, seasonally appropriate ingredients, complimented by a massive selection of board games, cards and logic puzzles... $ >>

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EATING OUT >> Spotkanie (Żoliborz) ul. Krasińskiego 2, tel. 22 839 3069, www.spotkanie.com.pl. Open 12:00-23:00.

Stylish, low-key décor, delicious, light salads and decent mains – the Romanov beef steak in mushroom and pepper sauce is simply excellent. $$ St. Antonio (D2) ul. Senatorska 37, tel. 22 826 3008, www.stantonio.pl. Open Tues-Sat 11:00-24:00; Sun-Mon 12:00-24:00. Popular among business negotiators and Polish VIPs, the place gets high marks for offering fresh and tasty Mediterranean dishes as well as seasonal Polish delicacies amidst Laura Ashley décor. $$ Tamka 43 (E3) ul. Tamka 43, tel. 22 441 6234, www.tamka.43.pl.

Open Mon-Sat 10:00-23:00. With a location looking at the Chopin Museum you may assume this place is all about boring food at tourist prices. Wrong. Chic and shiny, and with a cool glass frontage, chef Robert – a veteran of the El Bulli kitchen – does the rest with delicate dishes that could pass for art. $$ U Kucharzy (D3) ul. Ossolińskich 7, tel. 22 826 7936, www.gessler.pl. Open 12:00-24:00. Literally translated as ‘with the cooks’, you find yourself in the thick of the action here, with diners planted in the kitchen area of the former Hotel Europejski. There’s a great atmosphere of orchestrated chaos here, with food served straight from the pots. Some are calling this the best meal in Warsaw, and it’s certainly up there…. even if the cocktails aren’t. $$ BEST WAWA 2010 “Best Lunch Deal” Winner Valadier (C9) ul. Łowicka 16, tel. 22 224 5454, www.valadier.pl. Open daily 12:00-23:00.

Set in an elegant mansion this aristocratic choice comes fronted by Paweł Żółtanski, and he’s mixed French, Italian and Polish styles to come up with an exclusive menu that reads like a royal banquet: guinea fowl, pigeon and quail to name just some examples. $$$ Villa Czersk (Czersk) ul. Warszawska 23, tel. 22 736 2188, www.villaczersk.pl. Open 12:00-last guest.

Found 30 clicks south of Warsaw, VC gets a spoonful of extra points for setting; a mock Tuscan villa in walking distance from the ruined castle in Czersk. Ideal following a visit to the aforementioned, this restaurant has a formal air and an important sounding interna-

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tiona/Mediterranean menu that specializes in fish – the mussels are fantastic. $$ Villa Foksal (E4) ul. Foksal 3/5, tel. 22 827 8716, www.restauracjavillafoksal.pl. Open Mon-Fri 12:00-last guest; Sat & Sun 13:00-last guest.

The pasta is filling, and probably deserves its reputation as some of the best in Warsaw. It comes as no surprise that they are often fullybooked. Check out one of the best summer gardens in the city. $$ Ye Goode Foode ul. Zamiany 12, tel. 22 254 4025. Open 11:00-last guest. YGF are back, this time in an off-center location in the middle of the ’burbs.

Making use of unrefined oils and organic produce these guys take their cooking seriously – even the soups are made from spring water. The menu might not be as extensive as before, but it’s not a bad shout if you’re in the hood. $$ You and Me (D5) ul. Żurawia 6/12, tel. 22 379 0379, www.youandmebar.pl. Open Mon-Thur 8:3024:00; Fri 8:30-2:00, Sat 12:00-2:00; Sun 12:00-24:00. Serving up a pretty attractive selection of food. The interiors of this café/bar look very modern, and the bold crimson decor makes it a hot spot for a date. $$ Zaułek Smaków – Winiarnia Portius (Żoliborz) ul. Felińskiego 52, tel. 22 839 8681, www.zauleksmakow.com.pl. Open 12:00-22:00. Located in a beautiful area in old Żoliborz, it offers unique mixture of Hungarian, Italian and Polish cuisine and guarantees something for everyone. $ Zen Jazz Bistro (D3) ul. Jasna 24, tel. 22 447 2500, www.jazzbistro.pl. Open Mon-Fri 11:00- 24:00; Sat-Sun 12:00-24:00. The menu at Zen Jazz Bistro is rather lengthy, but the dishes are up to the expectation the delectable descriptions create. The tuna steak in teriyaki isn’t great, but everything else is pretty much on the money. $$ Żużu (D9) ul. Kazimierzowska 43, entrance from ul. Różana, tel. 22 646 4585, www.bistro-zuzu. pl. Open Mon-Sat 13:00-21:00. Żużu is hidden away in Mokotów, but well worth tracking down. The Panga/Sole Fillet served with white and wild rice risotto, saffron sauce and Tian vegetables is an excellent main dish. $

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updates

italian

Arsenał (C2) ul. Długa 52, tel. 22 635 8377, www.restauracjaarsenal.pl. Open 10:0023:00. It’s been years since we heard great words about Arse, and while the food remains fine there’s a distinct impression that their finest hour has long since passed.

A great play area for kids, it’s still not a bad option if you’re heading from Old Town with accompanying bambinos. $$ Bacio (D5) ul. Wilcza 43, tel. 22 626 8303, www.bacio. pl. Open Mon-Fri 12:00-24:00; Sat & Sun 13:00-last guest. Handwritten menus yield such goodies as spinach gnocchi and pear in mascarpone. Great pastas too and wine selection. The Bacio chain extends to other locations on Wilcza 8 and Ciszewskiego 15. $$ Bellini (D1) Rynek Starego Miasta 21, tel. 22 831 0202, www.restauracjabellini.pl. Open 12:00-23:00.

Queen of cuisine Magda Gessler brings her magic to the realm of Italian cooking with this spacious, enigmatic cellar restaurant just a few doors down from U Fukiera. Brilliant pizzas, especially the signature white pizza, with fresh mozzarella, provolone, rucola, pear slices and pine nuts. $ Castello (Wilanów) ul. Wiertnicza 96, tel. 22 885 7505, www.castello.pl Open Mon-Sat 12:00-23:00; Sun 12:00-22:00. Excellent food. Recommendations include the penne alla norcina and frutti di mare pizza. $$$ Chianti (E4) ul. Foksal 17, tel. 22 828 0222, www.kregliccy.pl/chianti.php. Open 12:0023:00. We recommend trying the salmon pasta, and the tiramisu and pannacotta for dessert. During the week, standards stay high as the chef doles out excellent salads and pasta. $$

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Da Aldo ul. Mickiewicza 23, tel. 22 869 0937. Open 12:00-23:00. Head chef Stefano has launched a heap of top name restaurants, and while Da Aldo is a more modest affair, there’s something clearly right in the kitchen. Seafood is recommended here, and with mussels season in full swing you’ve no excuse to miss it. $$ Delizia (D5) ul. Hoża 58/60, tel. 22 622 6665, www.delizia.com.pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-

INTERNATIONAL/ITALIAN 22:00. Scene of this Insider’s meal of the year, circa 2010. Unassuming at first sight, it takes seconds to notice that something is very, clearly wrong – the tables are full and the diners having fun. There’s two reasons for that, and they’re called Luca and Lorenzo. Luca is the showman and waiter supreme, while Lorenzo the culinary master behind this much talked-about venue. Fish is their forte, with deliveries from Italy arriving Tuesdays. $$$ Dominos Al. Jana Pawła 45A (also at Bukowińska 26C), tel. 22 209 0002, www.dominospizza.pl. Open 10:00-23:00. They’re back!

Years after shutting shop the Dominos crew return to Warsaw, and this time they’re better than ever. It’s strictly takeaway/ delivery only (unless you count the standup table outside), but these guys get listed for what amounts to the best delivered pizza in the history of Poland. $ Enoteka (C2) ul. Długa 23/25, tel. 22 831 3443, www.enotekapolska.pl. Open Mon-Sat

12:00-24:00; Sun 13:00-20:00. The menu is updated quarterly and beefed up with the harvests of the season. The house specialises chiefly in Italian labels whose price tags range from “what a deal!” to “worth it for a celebrity splurge.” The minimalsitic rustic interior is just the right spot after a stroll in the neighboring Old Town. $$ BEST WAWA 2010 “Best Wine Bar” Winner Gar Restaurant (D4) ul. Jasna 10, tel. 22 828 2605, www.gar.com.pl.

Open Mon-Sat 12:00-23:00; Sun 12:00-22:00.

The Polish-French fusion of Gar is gone, replaced with a fun cinematic-themed trattoria.

The pizza pies are excellent with thin-crust and hearty toppings. The hefty prices have slimmed down to an easy zł.12-35 per dish. $ Giancarlo Ristorante Italiano (Służew) ul. Rzymowskiego 34, tel. 22 549 6501, www.giancarlo.pl Open Mon-Sat 12:00-23:00; Sun 12:00-20:00. Everything you’d expect from an Italian restaurant. Frequented by local restaurant critics and TV cooks, one look at the restaurant’s menu is enough to get you feeling

very hungry indeed. Go for the heavenly sole in gorgonzola-spinach sauce. $$$ Giovanni Rubino (D2) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 37, tel. 22 826 2788, www.giovanni.pl. Open daily 11:00-last guest. With satisfying salads and a pretty good thin-crust pizza, Giovanni Rubino is the Insider’s pick for when you’re looking for a quick late-nite bite in the Old Town area. $ Il Caminetto (Saska Kępa) ul. Zwycięzców 46, tel. 22 672 5596, www.ilcaminetto.pl. Open daily 12:00-23:00.

This unexpected spot houses a fantastic Italian restaurant with authentic pastas and mains. A secret fave among the Italiano set, with the mezzelune dello chef and ravioloni ai quattro formaggi highly recommended. $ La Cantina (D4) ul. Nowy Świat 64, tel. 22 331 6798, www.lacantina.com.pl. Open 11:00-last guest.

Mediterranean dishes with pastas, seafood and meat dishes and a large variety of pizza from a wood-fired oven. $ >>

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EATING OUT >> Nonsolo Pizza (A6) ul. Grójecka 28/30, tel. 22 824 1273. Open Mon-Sun 12:00-23:00. Design doesn’t figure highly here, instead the onus is on food – the salads are good, but the pizzas even better; maybe even the best in the city. Who says so? Only about a zillion Italians who order from here. $ The Olive (E5) Sheraton Hotel, ul. Prusa 2, tel. 22 450 6706.

Open Mon-Fri 6:30-10:30, lunch 12:00-16:00; Sat & Sun 7:30-10:30, lunch 12:30-16:30.

Bursting with seasonal fruits and veggies, it’s a fresh, fun place to eat. Business lunch: Mon-Fri 12:00-15:30. Hot and cold buffet for zł.90. $$$ Oregano (Białołęka Dworska) ul. Bohaterów 14, tel. 22 425 5964, www.oregano-restauracja.pl. Open Mon-Thurs & Sun 12:00-22:00; Fri-Sat 12:00-23:00. Just about 25 minutes drive from the center, this lovely villa houses a cozy Italian restaurant with a menu that’s traditional but also very creative, put together by award-winning chef Anna Martynowska. Highly recommended for a weekend brunch/dinner jaunt. $$ Parmizzano’s (C5) Al. Jerozolimskie 65/79 (Marriott Hotel, Floor 1), tel. 22 630 6306. Open 12:00-23:00.

The prices are highly intimidating, but are offset by cooking that never falls below brilliant. Hotel restaurants get a bad rep, but in the formal surrounds of Parmiazzano’s diners can expect Italian food at its very best. $$$ Pepperoni (Żoliborz) ul. Krasińskiego 10, tel. 022 839 6961. Open 11:00-23:00. Colourful and stylish pizza parlour with 43 varieties of pizza to choose from, and a selection of pastas, soups and salads. $$ Piccola Italia (Ochota) ul. 1 Sierpnia 46, www.piccolaitalia.pl, tel. 22 846 8737. Open 12:00-23:00. The wood-fired oven brings out some of the best pizza in town, especially for fans of the vegetariana. $ Pizzeria na Barskiej (C6) ul. Barska 37, tel. 22 822 2750. Open daily 12:00-22:00. We’re told that this restaurant serves the best pizza in the city. Check it out and decide for yourself. A wide selection of huge pizzas ensure the return of many patrons. $ Pizzeria na Nowolipkach (B2) ul. Nowolipki 15, tel. 22 498 8877, www.nanowolipkach.pl. Open Mon-Thurs

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11:00-22:00; Fri-Sat 11:00-23:00; Sun 13:00-22:00. A back street haunt that earns its stripes for excellent pizza – but better ring your order, with staff this sour it pays to keep contact minimal. $ Poezja (E5) ul. Książęca 6, tel. 22 622 6762, www.poezja.waw.pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:0023:00; Sun 14:00-22:00. The Italian influence is evident in the extravagant menu and a lovely wine list. Try the garlic cream soup with snails as a starter and get the ink with shrimp as a main. $$ Pomidoro (Konstancin-Jeziorna) Al. Wojska Polskiego 3, tel. 22 702 8777.

Open daily 12:00-last guest. An authentic Italian restaurant located in a renovated paper mill. Chef Ricardo whips up some of the best pizzas, pastas and steaks you’ll find in this city. Try the spaghetti alle vongole or the bistecca alla fiorentina for a real taste of Tuscany. $$

Al. Jana Pawła II 36, tel. 22 652 1616, www.sanlorenzo.pl. Open 12:00-last guest.

Adorned with crisp, starched linen and Roman frescos this space is almost magisterial in design. The Tuscan menu is flawless and well worth the rather hefty bill. The wine bar on the ground floor features the same standards at a snip of the price, and it’s here you’ll find Italian natives cheering the Serie A football. $$$ Roma (multiple locations) ul. Grottgera 2 (ul.Belwederska 17), ul. Jasna 24, tel. 22 826 7676, www.restauracjaroma.pl. Open Mon-Fri 12:00-23:00; Sat 13:00-23:00; Sun 14:0021:00. Good food and charming Italianthemed décor – wine bottles and grapevines strewn about this intimate restaurant. Feast on a meaty Boscaiola or Carbonara. A bit kitsch but the prices are good and the staff are sweet. $$

Roma Bukieteria (E5) ul. Mokotowska 49, tel. 22 621 0311, www.restauracjaroma.pl. Open Mon-Sat Quattro Canti Trattoria (Wilanów) 11:00-23:00; Sun 11:00-21:00. If you’re ul. Syta 120, tel. 509 644 559, looking for a spot of Mediterranean romance, www.quattrocanti.pl. Open daily 12:00-22:00. this is the place. Warm shades of terracotta, Brave the nondescript entrance to enjoy tasty wooden interiors and rose petals are the Italian classics in a simple trattoria setting. Try perfect place for a romantic dinner with a the Mafioso pizza, the vitello tonato main and special someone. $$ gorgonzola spinach on the side. $ Rusticoni Rimini Pizza (Ursynów) Restaurant (C4) ul. Roentgena 1 (corner of ul. Pileckiego), tel. 22 641 9544, www.rimini.pl. Open Złote Tarasy, 12:00-22:00. The pizzas are made in full view, tel. 22 222 0550, and they are near-perfect: Italian-style crust, www.rusticoni.pl. Italian specialities, right delightful tomato sauce, fresh toppings and in the heart of Warsaw. Choose from a wide just the right amount of cheese. $ variety of pizzas and pastas, as well as an assortment of meat and fish dishes, and a Ristorante Balgera (E8) range of desserts, including home-made ul. Rejtana 14, tel 022 849 5674, www.balgera.pl. tiramisu. $ Open 12:00-last guest. Enjoy succulent and hearty Italian pastas and steaks, sip rich Sapori d’Italia (Ursynów) Cabernet Sauvignon and treat your taste buds ul. Dembego 10 lok. U5, tel. 888 231 030, to a slice of decadent Tiramisu. $$$ www.sapori-ditalia.pl. Open Mon-Fri 12:0022:00. Recommended dishes include the Ristorante Il Sole (B3) tuna salad, a vibrant mix of tuna fish, salad, Al. Jana Pawła II 27, tel. 22 653 6484, green olives and tomatoes enlivened by a www.ilsole.com.pl. Open 11:00-24:00. creamy dill sauce and the deliciously tender Cut-price lunch deals draw in suited crowds Dourade fish. The food is well-worth the trip from the offices upstairs, while modern, out to this slightly remote restaurant. $$ cosmopolitan interiors further stroke the corporate feel. The food won’t win prizes – Trattoria Rucola (H4) neither will the servers – but it’s not a bad ul. Francuska 6, tel. 22 616 1259, haunt if you’re working locally. $$ www.trattoriarucola.pl. Open 12:00-22:00.

Serving classic Italian favorites including Ristorante San Lorenzo pizza, pasta and risotto, this restaurant has (B3) something for everyone.

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ITALIAN/SUSHI The Saska Kępa locals already love this place, so reservations are recommended.

Trattoria Rucola na Miodowej ul. Miodowa 1, tel. 888 574 4357, www.trattoriarucola.pl. Open 12:00-22:00.

Firmly established in Saska, Ruccola have expanded to cover the West side. The M.O is very much the same, with huge wall prints of verdant forest scenes, and a menu that impresses across the board – the pizza in particular gets our seal of approval.

Va Bene Ristorante (A9) ul. Pruszkowska 13, tel. 22 824 5060, www.vabene.pl. Open 11:00-23:00. The restaurants offer a traditional Italian menu and the family atmosphere and menu (pizzas, pastas and ice-cream) make this place suitable for both kids and parents. $$ Vapiano (B12) ul. Taśmowa 7, tel. 22 356 1050, www.vapiano.pl. Open Mon-Fri 10:00-23:00; Sat-Sun 12:00-23:00. Here’s one chain brand that is worth the hype. Featuring a chic look rounded out with Ferrari red colors, the thin crust pizza earns its spurs, and the pasta combinations are great. $$ Venezia (E7) ul. Marszałkowska 10/16, tel. 22 622 1537, www.venezia.com.pl. Open noon-23:00.

What happens when a restaurant hits the skids? They call Magda Gessler, or more specifically her Polski version of Kitchen Nightmares. Reinvented under her guiding

hand, Venezia are back with an exciting menu and an informal design that includes Venetian murals and a stone lion. Can Venezia reclaim their reputation?

The grilled sirloin with chili says yes. $$

www.akashia.pl. Compared to competitors it looks a little unassuming, almost faded.

The sushi is spot on though, and unlike some rivals they haven’t gone for the cut-price Polish chef option. $$

Venti Tre (E7) ul. Belwederska 23 (Hyatt Hotel), tel. 22 558 1094. Open 6:30-23:00. With good seafood – such a rarity in Warsaw – Venti Tre serves up lovely meals that would appease the finicky appetite of any fish-lover. $$$ Business lunch: Mon-Fri 12:00-16:00.

Art Sushi (C5) ul. Nowogrodzka 56, tel. 22 621 7720, www.artsushi.pl Open Mon-Sat 12:00-23:00; Sun 13:00-22:00. The restaurant is charming, modern and peaceful. The menu is strictly Japanese/Korean, but is a good starting-point for sushi first-timers. $$

Vera Italia (Ochota) ul. Sąchocka 5, tel. 22 823 8380, www.veraitalia.pl. Open 11:30-23:00. Where Warsaw’s Italian and other expats craving the real thing gather for Italian food. Note that its popularity makes booking ahead a must. $$

Besuto Sushi Bar (E4) ul. Nowy Świat 28 (pavilion 2), tel. 22 828 0020, www.besuto.pl. Open Sun-Thurs 12:00-22:00; Fri-Sat 12:00-23:00. Set in the maze of pavilions behind Nowy Świat, Besuto looks distinctly at odds with the skaggy, shaggy bars in direct proximity. Featuring a jarring black/green design, the sushi is regarded as a bargain deal in a city where raw fish is commonly associated with premium prices. $

Włoska Robota (Ochota) ul. Drawska 22 (Ochota), tel. 783 870 463.

Open Sun-Thurs 11:00-22:00; Fri-Sat 11:0023:00. Squirreled away in Park Szczęśliwicki in Ochota, the forte of the establishment is the home-made pasta. The menu is otherwise a cookie-cutter range of pizza with the usual range of toppings. If you’re after baked dough the “panuozzo” sandwiches are real winners just be prepared to wait a while. $

Doozo (D4) ul. Bracka 18, tel. 22 828 18 19, www.doozo.pl.

Open Mon-Sat 12:00-22:30; Sun 13:30- 20:00. A tiny, two-floor sushi emporium with a modern look and segregated VIP section. Check their ‘sticks’, tasty meat and fish options spiked onto skewers. $$

japanese & sushi

Gugo Sushi (Wilanów) ul. Nałęczowska 60, tel. 22 394 5480, www.gugosushi.pl. Open Sun-Thurs 12:0021:00; Fri-Sun 12:00-22:00. Fresh ingredients >>

Akashia (C4) Al. Jana Pawła II 61, tel. 22 636 6767; Złote Tarasy, ul. Złota 59, tel. 22 222 0333,

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EATING OUT >> and wide selection of traditional items and modern creations from the classic and fusion menus make this new sushi spot in Wilanów worth checking out. $$ Hana Sushi Jasna Centre (D3) Jasna Centre, ul. Jasna 14/16A, tel. 22 826 8585, www.hanasushi.pl.

Open 12:00-23:00. This new location of Hana Sushi combines sleek Japanese minimalism with an air of decadence, and serves food as fresh and attractive as the presentation. $$ Inaba (B5) ul. Nowogrodzka 84/86, tel. 22 622 5955.

Open 12:00-23:00 (kitchen closes at 22:00).

Located in an office building, this place is surprisingly quiet. The miso soup will have you licking your bowl and the sashimi and sushi sets are perfect. $$$ Izumi Sushi (D6) ul. Mokotowska 17 (pl. Zbawiciela), tel. 22 825 7950, www.izumisushi.eu. Open 12:00-23:00 or last guest. Izumi’s décor is a mix between modern design and Japanese style, which means it’s easy on the eyes but lean enough for you to concentrate on the yummy food. Plus, it’s a major spot for celeb-spotting in the city. $$ Kaizen ul. Świetlicowa 7/9 (Konstancin), tel.

607 128 840. Open 12:00-22:00. Dark woods and orchids warm the characteristically minimal Japanese design. The traditional sushi is delicious; however they also step in uncommon directions as they cater to Western tastes, with additional sauces, innovative inclusions and elegant plate ensembles. $$ Kiku Japanese Dining Gallery (D2) ul. Senatorska 17/19, tel. 22 892 0901, www.kiku.pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-23:00; Sun 13:00-22:00. A rather well-designed place with lots of Japanese-inspired furnishings. This restaurant, run by a Korean staff, offers far more than good sushi: tasty glassy noodles and udon soups too. $ Oto Sushi (D4) ul. Nowy Świat 44, tel. 22 828 0088, www.oto-sushi.pl. This little sushi spot is both modern and intimate, making it great for casual meals or dates. Excellent sushi and swift service. Great patio in summer. $$ The Place (D4) ul. Nowy Świat 27, tel. 22 826 4517,

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www.theplacesushi.pl. Open daily 12:00- last guest. Great sushi at (surprisingly) great prices and other Japanese specialties in a slick setting. Plus delicious vegetarian options too. $ Sakana Sushi Bar (D2, A1) ul. Burakowska 5/7 tel. 22 636 0055; ul. Moliera 4/6, tel. 22 826 5958, www.sakana.pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-23:00; Sun 13:00-22:00. Some call it the best sushi in the city, and they may have a point.

Practice nimble chopstick tricks alongside other aficionados while sushi rolls sail by on tiny, little boats. $$ Sushi 77 (B4) ul. Żelazna 41, tel. 22 890 1811, Al. KEN 49, ul. Polna 48, ul. Nowogrodzka 38, C.H. Skorosze, ul. Gen. F. Sławoja-Składkowskiego 4, www.sushi77.com. Open 12:00-23:00.

The Sushi 77 chain is surprisingly consistent with the quality of its dishes. The Żelazna location is a favourite, with simple decor, friendly service and great sushi. Check out the Ursynów location for noodle dishes too. $$ Sushi Teatr (D3) Pl. Piłsudskiego 9, tel. 22 826 4787, www.sushiteatr.pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:0023:00; Sun 13:00-22:00. This small yet very comfortable restaurant is relaxing in its Zen-like elegance. Great for sharing a platter with a hot date. $$ Sushi Zushi (D5) ul. Żurawia 6/12, tel. 22 420 3373, www.sushizushi.pl. Open Mon-Thur 12:0023:00; Fri-Sat 12:00-03:00; Sun 13:00-22:00.

The No. 1 ex-pat choice, so it seems, with a front cover crowd who could model for Elle. Survey the slicing skills of the sushi chefs from stools by the moat, and don’t shy away from their more creative inventions – find fish, fruit and cheese inside their Class A rolls. $$ BEST WAWA 2010 “Best Sushi” Winner Tomo (D5) ul. Krucza 16/22, tel. 22 434 2344, www.tomo.pl. Open 12:00-23:00. Excellent.

While Warsaw’s other sushi stops gather cobwebs Tomo packs out each night – that should say enough. With the maki, sushi and sashimi bobbing past on wooden platters, this place aims for fast, maximum turnover without ever making the diner feel second best. $$

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updates

tial conversation; frequently empty, the sushi is actually fine, just nowhere near the standard set in their former home on Foksal. $$ Yoko Sushi (Praga) ul. Ostrobramska 75c, (Promenada Mall, 3rd Floor), tel. 22 611 3535, www.yokosushi.pl.

Open Mon-Sat 10:00-22:00; Sun 10:00-21:00.

With a hip-Japan vibe and a cool factor that if off-the-meter, this is a perfect place for metrosexuals and hip urban couples. $$

kosher & jewish

U Samuela (B1) ul. Stawki 2, tel. 22 692 6217, www.restauracjausamuela.pl. Open 12:0022:00; Sat-Sun 13:00-22:00. If nothing else, it’s worth coming here for views that stretch right across town. Set on Floor 38, the Jewish/ European menu is inevitably overshadowed by glittering sights outside. With plenty of pork dishes on show, the Jewish authenticity is largely suspect. $$

latin

Blue Cactus (E8) ul. Zajączkowska 11, tel. 22 851 2323, www.bluecactus.pl. Open Mon-Fri 8:0023:00; Sat 9:00-23:00; Sun 12:00-22:00.

A lasting legend and an ex-pat darling – not least with the brunch bunch on a sweaty, summer Sunday. Appealing to all ages, this place is as good as ever. The fajitas are DIY food at its best, and taste all the better with a jug of margarita. $$ BEST WAWA 2010 “Best Latin Cuisine” Winner Carmona (B2) ul. K. Chodkiewicza 3, tel. 22 414 1919, www.carmona.pl. Open 8:00-23:00. et in an increasingly happening section of new money Mokotów, find the daily tapas chalked up on a blackboard inside a modern interior featuring midnight colors and top-to-bottom windows. Worth the look if you’re next door. $ Cuatro Caminos ul. Grzybowska 2, tel. 22 493 8748, www.cuatro-caminos.pl. Open 12:00-last guest. Winning blanket approval for what’s sometimes regarded as the best Spanish choice in Warsaw, Cuatro Caminos feature a scattering of selected mains and some excellent tapas in a prime location for an after-work meet. $$

Tsubame (B1) ul. Stawki 3, tel. 22 635 8667, www.tsubame.pl. El Popo (C2) Open 12:00-23:00. A great place for confidenul. Senatorska 27, tel. 22 827 2340. Open

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SEAFOOD/SUSHI/KOSHER/LATIN daily 12:00-24:00. The food is consistently inconsistent. Great guacamole, lovely margaritas and pleasant waitstaff. But that’s about it. $$

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El Toro Steakhouse ul. Wiejska 13, tel. 22 625 7698, www.eltororestaurant.com.pl. Open 12:00-23:00. Decked with stone cladding, wooden supports and mural of a Mexican desert scene, El Toro is a valuable discovery for meat loves out there.

There’s seven steaks to saw through, and they reach a hefty zł. 157 for the Porterhouse. A whole lot cheaper are the delicious Louisiana Hot Wings, though for fans of the Mex part of Tex-Mex the authenticity is open to discussion. $$ Espana To Tu (D4) ul. Nowy Świat 54/56, tel. 22 892 0025, www.espanatotu.com.pl. Open 12:00-23:00.

The younger, more elegant sister of Casa To Tu, find this more formal version in a courtyard off the main drag. Food reports are inconsistent, though we can vouch for the gazpacho. The interior looks the business as well, with a warren of warm chambers decorated in an inimitable Iberian style. $$ Frida Nowy Świat (D4) ul. Nowy Świat 34, tel. 691 343 434. Open Sun-Thur 11:00-24:00; Fri-Sat 11:00-02:00.

Both the location and the design have been nailed, and while the salsa lacks teeth, the food is slowly approaching the level set by the more established haunts in the Latin class.

Good burgers, as well. $$

Portucale (E10) ul. Merliniego 2, tel. 22 898 0925, www.portucale.pl. Open 11:00-23:00. The rule here is to keep it simple. Stick to the truly amazing seafood and good house wine, both of which promise a terrific Portuguese experience. $$ Tapa y Toro (C4) ul. Złota 59 (Złote Trasy Shopping Mall, level -1). Open 10:00- last guest. Tapas fans rejoice! With the full range of tastes Tapa y Toro is a great place to peck away on authentic Spanish nibbles, even more so if you bag a seat outside; eye candy heaven. The only downside seems to be the toilet, a sickly, stinky affair shared with the rest of the mall. $$ Taqueria Mexicana (D4) ul. Zgoda 5, tel. 22 556 4720/22, www.taqueriamexicana.pl. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-21:00; Sat 11:00-23:00; Sun 12:0022:00. This little slice of Mexico serves great fajitas and even better Caesar Salad. Stick with the guacamole. $$ The Mexican (E4) ul. Foksal 10a, tel. 22 826 9021, www.mexican.pl. Open Sun-Thur 11:00-24:00; Fri and Sat 11:00-01:00.

Style-wise this place is fab, complete with an adobe courtyard and Corona chandeliers. But the authenticity crashes into calamity with the food, which frequently appears as a mysterious gloop served with mashed cabbage. The locals love it. $$

INDIA CURRY tel. 22 438 93 50/51, Żurawia 22 Street

seafood

Osteria (D5) ul. Koszykowa 54 (at ul. Poznańska), tel. 22 621 1646, www.osteria.pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-23:00; Sun 13:00-22:00. An intimate restaurant with marine-inspired décor and the best seafood in Warsaw, t’s ideal for an energetic business lunch or romantic late-night supper. You can also pick up your seafood to go from their neighboring shop. $$

specialty food shops

African Shop ul. Wilcza 51, tel. 507 247 292, www.afroeuro.eu. Beans, beverages, flour and soup thickeners. Hair products and cosmetics also available, and they promise to be bringing in Abyssinian coffee in the near future as well. ‘’Excellent,’’ gushes one Zimbabwean connection.

Bio Bazar ul. Żelazna 51/53, tel. 22 318 8855, www.biobazar.org.pl. Open Sat 8:00-17:00.

Fruit and veg in the first warehouse, some of it imported from as far as Argentina. In the second warehouse, find organic cheese varieties from sheep and goats, as well as import brands from Italy, France and the Netherlands. Cash only, with a second branch in Wilanów (ul. Kostki Potockiego, open Sat 10:00-15:00).

Fish & Chips ul. Koszykowa 30, tel. 692 240 804,

>>

The real taste of India www.indiacurry.pl

Business lunch 25 pln

New menu!

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EATING OUT >> www.fishandchips.pl. Open Mon-Sat 11:30-21:00; Sun 13:00-19:00. British food and beverages inc. cider, bacon, sausages, gluten free ready meals, confectionary etc.

Internet ordering also available.

Krakowski Kredens Various locations, check: www.krakowskikredens.pl. Jams, syrups, honey and preserves, as well as fantastic hams and kiełbasa from the Galicia region.

Kuchnie Świata Various locations, www.kuchnieswiata.com. pl. The first stop for most ex-pats, with an offer that includes food and drinks from across the globe. The choice is vast. Internet ordering now also available.

La Fromagerie ul. Burakowska 5/7, tel. 22 465 2324, www. lafromagerie.pl. Open Mon-Fri 9:00-20:00; Sat 9:00-17:00. A bistro/cheese specialist with hard-to-find brands from across Europe.

Also cider, conserves, marmalades and meats imported from Italy and France.

La Petit France ul. Zwycięzców 28, tel. 22 672 9646, www.lapetitefrance.pl. Open Mon-Sat 10:3018:00. Wine and cheese as well as canned and tinned foods from France.

Le Diplomat ul. Meksykańska 6, tel. 22 616 0539.

Open Mon-Fri 10:00-19:00; Sat 10:00-15:00.

Long regarded as the best butcher in town, as well as the number one source for lamb.

Little India ul. Domaniewska 22/5, tel. 22 843 6738, www.littleindia.pl. The definitive Indian

store which doesn’t look anything more than a pokey neighborhood store. They’ve got it all mind, from oils, beans, lentils and flour, not to mention ready meals, canned goods and cosmetics. Internet ordering available.

Maho al. Krakowska 240/242, tel. 22 609 1548, www.maho.com.pl. An excellent German-run Turkish restaurant that also doubles as a butcher: halal certified beef, veal, lamb and poultry.

Marks & Spencer Various locations inc. DT Wars & Sawa, ul. Marszałkowska 104/122, tel. 22 551 7553, www.marks-and-spencer.com.pl. Visit the Marszałkowska location to take advantage of the on-site bakery, but visit early as choice diminishes the later it gets. Aside from baked goods, find an excellent frozen food section, as well as an off-license, tinned goods, ready meals, confectionary and preserves.

Ostra Kuchnia www.ostrakuchnia.pl. A superb internet shop retailing quite literally the hottest sauces known to man: brands include Blair’s, Dave’s, El Yucateco, Mad Dog, Melinda’s and many more besides. Also sell jalapenos, chili peppers, salsas and pastes. Polish-only website, but easy to navigate and superb customer service.

Papryka-Hungarian Store ul. Zwycięzców 22, tel. 22 616 0257, www.papryka-salami.pl. Open Mon-Fri 11:0019:00; Sat 11:00-15:00. A Hungarian deli selling wine, meats, preserves and spices.

Piccola Italia & Mediterraneo Locations on ul. Emili Plater 47, ul. Egejska 17, Al. KEN 85. Over 1,700 products, inc. cheeses from Lombardy, Sicilian marzipan, coffee from Florence and Oliver from Puglia.

And not just Italian: find a range of foods from both Spain and France.

MeiAsia ul. Kilińskiego 3, tel. 22 402 13 07, www.meiasia.com.pl. Open 10:00-21:00.

A top Asian spot just off the fringes of Old Town. Featured products from China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand and Singapore. Sauces, noodles, snacks and oils, as well as a small stand with fresh fish and seafood.

Polna Market ul. Polna 13. Open Mon-Fri 7:00-19:00, Sat 7:00-17:00. Known as ‘Warsaw’s Market’ during communism, this was the place to get treasured goods from the West.

And it’s still known as something of a shoppers paradise, with a couple of wine stores, an outstanding butchers (whose happy to accept special orders), and a fab produce stand selling only the freshest vegetables.

Namaste India ul. Nowogrodzka 15, tel. 22 357 0939.

Open Mon-Sat 11:00-22:00; Sun 12:00-22:00.

Not just an excellent take-away, but also a small deli selling herbs and spices, ready meals, drinks and even Indian toiletries.

Samira al. Niepodległości 213, tel. 22 825 0961, www.samira.pl. Lebanese goods inc. chickpeas, grape leaves, flatbreads, pomegranate syrup, hummus, olives, dips etc. Good budget food also served on-site.

TOP SHOP Wine of Dreams ul. Koszykowa 53, www.wineofdreams.pl. Open Mon-Sat 10:00-21:00, Sun 11:00-19:00. ot a delicatessen as such, but when the alcohol selection is this good you just can’t ignore it. An exhaustive collection of old and new world wines, but if you speak to any ex-pat they’ll gush about the beer selection: it’s unmatched. There’s a fab choice of world beers (plenty of cider, Belgian brews, the American Sam Adam’s, even a Ugandan beer!), but the real coup is the amount of lesser known Polish beers.

In a country that still ticks to the boring taste of Żywiec, it comes as something of a bonus to find there really is good lager to be had in Poland: to see what the editorial team is drinking, check out the contribution from the Browar Amber. Keeping to the boozy theme, they’ve also got a range of alternative alcohols, inc. Tequila, whisky, vodka etc. The English-speaking service is a further bonus.

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PHOTOGRAPH BY KEVIN DEMARIA

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GOING OUT Bars, Pubs & Clubs

THIS MONTH:

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2 updates

SECTIONS bars & pubs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 55

jazz clubs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.58

clubs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 58

Insider’s Pick “ ... for some reason alcohol infused smoke just doesn’t sound like a good idea to me”

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF SHEESHA

HOT FIND

Sheesha ul. Sienkiewicza 3, tel. 22 828 2525, www.sheesha.pl. Open Mon-Fri 12:00-last guest; Sat-Sun 16:00-last guest.

M

any moons ago when I was still a brighteyed and bushy-tailed newcomer to the capital, myself and my housemate of the time, used to spend our Sunday afternoons/evenings escaping the bitter cold of a Warsaw winter by visiting one of the many local cafes and bars located near our apartment for a few light refreshments.

Times have changed. My colleague has long since departed and my Sundays are a little more sedate these days but luckily it seems that some things remain the same. Take Sheesha Lounge, for example.

Located on ul. Sienkiewicza, in the very heart of the city, this was one of the haunts we used to visit back in those halcyon days. And when I walked through the door recently on a freezing mid-week evening, all the reasons why I once loved this place came flooding back.

What I always liked about it is the relaxed atmosphere, with laid

back electronic beats on the sound system, warm lighting, traditional Middle-Eastern interiors and the purple haze of smoke drifting around the place; this really is a great venue to take some time out from the hustle and bustle of big city life.

And any visit here is never quite complete without the smoking of a traditional water pipe. If you’ve never sampled one, then I highly recommend it despite not being a smoker myself. It really is a nice communal way to spend an hour or so, and with a wide variety of flavours (including the alcoholic Terminator Sheesha) there is something for everyone. I myself went for the strawberry one, as for some reason alcohol infused smoke just didn’t sound like a good idea to me.

But if you’re less of a pipe and slippers type man than me, then Sheesha Lounge also hosts various late night parties and events, with a DJ playing almost every night of the week. So whether you’re looking for a relaxing end to a long day or a great start to a big night out, you’re sure to find it here. (DI) >>

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BAR PROFILE

PROPPING UP THE BAR

This month, the Insider assumes position at the bar for a chat with Graham Roose, the Liverpudlian landlord and owner of Legends. drinkers go through the door and straight to the bar, they don't even bother sitting down. Here the pace is slower.

You ran the legendary Pink Bar in the British Embassy for years. Tell us about it.

Great times, but I remember one in particular.

The place was rammed for the Rugby World Cup final, and Johnny Wilkinson snatched the game for England. Literally everyone jumped up to punch the air, not realizing the artex ceilings were so low.

We had to deal with a lot of bloodied fists, but what a day.

Why Legends?

I had really wanted to call the place The Liverpool.

Talking to friends though, they reminded me how tribal us ex-pats can be – to call it The Liverpool would have made it sound not just English specific, but also purely scouse (Ed note: Scouse = Liverpudlian). Legends though was popular amongst everyone I asked.

What's the best pub in the world?

The Wilmslow next to Goodison Park (Ed note: home of Everton Football Club). Of course it's rough and ready, but go there an hour before kick off and you'll get the idea of what us Liverpudlians are like.

What's running a pub taught you?

I've worked in pubs and bars as a hobby since I was 18, so Legends hasn't changed me. I'd say the one difference when you actually own the place, you don't drink as much!

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What's the difference between pubs in England and out here?

No fights. In England it's like fight night every Friday.

I've never seen a bar fight here though, I think people have more discipline, more respect. I don't think the British have ever moved on from the old days when it was 'ding ding' last orders at 10:30pm. That's led to the binge drinking you get today. Just look: in the UK Wa r s a w I n s i d e r : 0 1 - 3 0 N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 1

Best hangover cure?

Without fail, a full English breakfast. Where do I stand on hair of the dog? Well, if you haven't got a hangover by 3pm, then do it.

It's one year on, what are your thoughts on the smoking ban?

I've never smoked, but I'm certainly not against people doing so. I remember very fondly my dad would come back for his Sunday dinner, and he'd smell of he pub – the beer, the smoke. You just can't beat that smell...

Graham Roose first came to Warsaw in 1999 on a placement with the British Embassy. Since then he's worked in Saudi Arabia, before returning to Warsaw with wife Beata to open Legends last year. Catch him in action on ul. Emilii Plater 25, www.legendsbar.pl.

PHOTOGRAPH BY KEVIN DEMARIA

For me the British pub is an institution, what is it that makes them so great?

Friendliness. You can turn up on your own to a British pub out here and people will talk to you, and the camaraderie is what makes our pubs so unique.

Tell me about the most dangerous pub you've been in...

Oooh, I can't remember the name, but without doubt a place in Amesbury, near Salisbury Plain.

I popped in for a drink and some bloke came up to us and told us in no uncertain terms this was a paratrooper pub, and we were to leave immediately or get battered. I offered to finish my drink to which he warned, “Go now, it's only because I'm a scouser and you're a scouser that you'll be leaving in tact.” It's the only time I've ordered a drink and not had a sip.

GOING OUT bars & pubs

Absurd 228 ul. Puławska 228, tel. 22 252 0401. Open Tue-Sat 12:00-22:00; Sun-Mon 12:00-20:00.

Upmarket, but with an industrial twist, Absurd could yet emerge as the number one concert venue for alternative sounds. The Mokotów location makes it a gamble, but the live music is popular with creatives.

Alibi (D5) ul. Nowogrodzka 22, tel. 22 629 2523. Open Mon-Fri 12:00-24:00, Fri-Sat 12:00-03:00.

Another newish sports bar, Alibi’s strength lies in plenty of TVs (Sky Sports, yep), a generous floor plan, matey owner and a smoking area that’s seriously flexible. Oh, the location is grand central as well.

Beirut (D5) ul. Poznańska 12. Open 12:00-last guest. The interiors are hip and happening, with walls layered with cult album covers, documentary film posters and a couple pics of military hardware (pointing at Tel Aviv across the road).

Lebanese themed, the beer is nonetheless Lithuanian and Belgian, while the staff have an exotic look and elaborate hair. Brilliant.

Bierhalle (A1) Al. Jana Pawła II 82 (Arkadia). Open 11:00last guest. It’s been five years since Bierhalle tapped their first beer, and in those five years they’ve nailed the market. Fantastic Pils served in a boozy, Bavarian atmopshere, and a decent menu to iron out any hunger issues.

www.browarmia.pl. Open daily 12:00-last guest. The location alone means this place is never short on footfall. Even so, you get the impression it’d prosper wherever; certainly not as consistent as Bierhalle, Warsaw’s other microbrewery still runs a close second.

Cafe Kulturalna (C4)  Palace of Culture, pl. Defilad 1, tel. 22 656 6281, www.kulturalna.pl. Open Mon-Sat 12:00-last guest; Sun 15:00-last guest. The location is unbeatable and visiting the Palace late at night is an amazing, almost mystical experience.

Chłodna 25 (B3)  ul. Chłodna 25/Żelazna 75A, tel. 22 620 2413, www.chlodna25.blog.pl. Open Mon-Fri 8:00last guest; Sat-Sun 10:00-last guest. A cult bar with arty performances and a battered look.

The sense of community is strong here, with thesps, students and musicians gathering on the summer patio to tonk back the Ciechan.

Chwila (B3) ul. Ogrodowa 31/35, tel. 22 401 1754.

Open 12:00-last guest; Sun 15:00-last guest.

Entered under a red, cabaret-style awning, Chwila is a reject factory space turned good. Furry cushions, patchwork quilts and student art vie for attention alongside iron girders and industrial leftovers inside what is becoming known as one of the top alternative music venues this side of the river. Scaremongers and dodgy websites claim this place as closed – lies!

Bratnia Szatnia (C4) pl. Defilad 1, www.bratniaszatnia.pl. Open 12:00-last guest. Bar, cafe, club, concert space – it’s all those and more. Set in the Palace of Culture, this place has everything from DJs and concerts to tango classes and art happenings. No surprise then to find a crowd of hip, urban media sorts staking claim to the seating.

Czysta Ojczysta (G1) ul. Ząbkowska 27/31. Open Mon-Fri 18:00-4:00; Sat-Sun 12:00-4:00.

Here’s a turn up for the books: a Praga bar that doesn’t look infected. Set in a one-time vodka factory, this white-on-white haunt features little more than soothing colors, iron posts (watch them), and a whole wall of vodka. Expect the party to spill out into the courtyard, itself utilized for maverick events like bicycle polo.

Browar de Brasil (D5) ul. Marszałkowska 76/80, tel. 534 600 990, www.browardebrasil.pl. Open 12:00-last guest. As the big, copper vats suggest, they brew their own lager. And well. There’s four to choose from, and they come served by sexy soccerettes dressed in tight Brazil tops.

Featuring scarlet colors and deep, dark woods (a glass floor, even!), this double level bar looks a good bet to break the duopoly of local microbreweries.

Flow (D4) ul. Chmielna 2, tel. 519 300 068. Open Sun-Thur 9:00-24:00; Fri-Sat 9:00-last guest.

Undistinguishable from a British high street chain bar, the principal boon here is the massive smoking section. Otherwise it’s negative points all round: from over-priced cocktails to dismal DJs, this place has disaster written on it in big red letters.

Browarmia (C3)  ul. Królewska 1, tel. 22 826 5455,

Huśtawka (D4) ul. Bracka 20A. Open Mon-Fri 12:00-last guest; Sat-Sun 16:00-last guest. A raw cultish

hangout, popular with a non-conformist crowd who know how to party. Allegedly inspired by 80’s New York City, find this labyrinthine late-nighter in a courtyard palace.

Hydrozagadka ul. 11 Listopada 22, tel. 502 070 916, www.hydrozagadka.waw.pl. Open MonThur 18:00-1:00, Fri-Sat 18:00-5:00.

Even in an area known for its dive scene Hydrozagadka stands apart as something a little different. Competition is cutthroat in Praga, but even so this place wins the gong for most dismal interior – congrats. Looking like it’ll fall apart at any given signal, The H earns plaudits for weekends that whizz past in a blur of hedonism.

Irish Pub (C2) ul. Miodowa 3, tel. 22 826 2533, www.irishpubmiodowa.pl. Open daily 11:00-last guest. Affecting a look that only an Irish pub can escape with – strange smells and chipped wood – this boozer is perhaps more noted for its live music and camaraderie than for anything else. There’s events practically every night, ranging from local rock acts to cool blues. If you failed the X Factor audition then do the next best thing and visit for karaoke night.

Jimmy Bradley’s Irish Pub (C4)  Warsaw Towers (ground floor), ul. Sienna 39, tel. 22 654 6656, www.jimmybradley.pl.

Open Mon-Fri 10:00-last guest; Sat & Sun 12:00-last guest. A firm ex-pat bulwark, and certainly the best pint of Guinness in the city. Built on a firm foundation of live sports, free-flowing beer and rapid fire banter this is every inch your trademark Irish pub. Come weekend, few places capture the ex-pat spirit better.

Karmnik (D1) ul. Piwna 41, tel. 22 468 0664. Open 11:00last guest. Complimented by soft, lazy grooves, conversation comes fuelled by a fridge filled to bursting with diverse labels from Łomża and Gniewosz. Rounding out the art-mosphere, find a tubby looking dog nosing happily under tables. Decorated with birdhouses and wobbly plastic seats, it’s further proof that Praga cool has penterated mainland Warsaw.

Kwadrat (D5) ul. Poznańska 7, www.kwadrat.waw.pl.

Open 12:00-last guest; Sat 18:00-last guest; closed Sun. Dwarfish in size, Kwadrat offers a magnificent selection of quirky beers from the lesser known breweries of backwater

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GOING OUT >> Poland. Arty in spirit, but never pretentious, it’s the neighborhood bar you wished you lived next to.

Klub City (B2) al. Jana Pawła II 43A, tel. 22 636 92 46, www.klubcity.pl. Open 17:00-2:00. A newish gay venue set under the pavilions on JP2.

The highlights here are the beer – Mazowieckie and Dawne – as well as a total absence of the preening fauxmosexuals of Warsaw’s more elite haunts. Find erotic art clinging to the walls, and karaoke and drag shows performed intermittently.

Legends (C5) ul. Emilii Plater 25, tel. 22 622 4640.

Open Mon-Thu 11:00-23:00, Fri 11:00-02:00, Sat 12:00-02:00, Sun 12:00-23:00. A place that just keeps growing on us; there’s a segregated smoking chamber, traditional dartboard (no stupid electronics here), Sky Sports and a menu that’s as authentically English as the Downing Street cat. In charge of it all is Graham, a seasoned ex-pat with an embassy background.

Lokal Użytkowy (D1) ul. Brzozowa 27/29, tel. 22 635 6838.

Open Fri-Sat 18:30-23:30. This arty locale features swan white walls, graphic art and red, squeaky chairs from which to enjoy hard-to-find beers from CEE – Svyturys and Noteckie, for instance. It’s almost tempting to stick around for the weird events that unfold. Didgeridoo concert, anyone?

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Lorelei (D4) ul. Widok 8, tel. 605 066 775. Open Sun-Thu 12:00-01:00, Fri-Sat 12:00-05:00. A brill place with black and white interiors touched up with cool lighting and walls layered with comic strip pics. The real plus are the people, an approachable bunch always happy to practice their English.

Meta (E4) ul. Foksal 21, tel. 22 826 4513. Open 11:00-6:00. Decorated with Brezhnev-era leftovers this commie-themed venue has everything from propaganda posters to a string of toilet rolls hanging from the wall.

Blend in with the wobbly legged party monsters by mixing Żołądkowa vodka with their special mix, PRL-style orangeade.

Nowy Świat ‘Pavilions’ (D4) Enter from ul. Nowy Świat 26. Enjoy while you can – slated for demolition in the coming years, the pavilions represent underground Warsaw at its raffish best. A low rent maze of dark, budget bars await, including the celebrated Klaps with its vibrator beer taps.

Nowy Wspaniały Świat (D2) ul. Nowy Świat 63, tel. 509 643 639.

Open Sun-Thu 11:00-3:00; Fri-Sat, 11:00-5:00.

A student heavy, socialist leaning hangout, where laptops and portfolios are seen as must-have accessories. Pretty vast, but usually packed with hipsters straining to listen to seminars and screenings.

Panorama Bar and Lounge (C5) Al. Jerozolimskie 65/79 (Marriott Hotel),

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updates

tel.22 630 6306, www.panoramabar.pl.

Open Mon-Sun 18:00-02:00. Housed on floor 40 of the Marriott Hotel, the Panorama Bar has ditched it’s crass, Dallas style, and gone for a svelte, chic look that wouldn’t be amiss in a VIP club room. A romantic must, and all the better for its dazzling views; you can almost touch the top of the Palace of Culture outside.

Paparazzi (D3)  ul. Mazowiecka 12, tel. 22 828 4219, www.paparazzi.com.pl. Open Mon-Thu 12:00-1:00, Fri 12:00-2:00, Sat-Sun 18:002:00. Poland’s first cocktail chain, and a market leader to this day. Find a dressed-tokill crowd of jet set glamour cats prowling the bar, as well as a smoking section that encompasses everything but the entrance.

BEST WAWA 2010 “Best Night Out-Bar” Winner

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Pardon To Tu Pl. Grzybowski 12/16. Open 9:00-last guest.

A fab Insider discovery snuck to the side of the Jewish Theater. Doubling as a record shop, find the crimson interiors dusted with album covers, mismatching seats and tilted lampshades. Giving it an extra lift are a knockout beer selection and unpredictable schedule of equally unpredictable live performances: ‘the improvised live music’ is occasionally great.

Plan B (D6) ul. Wyzwolenia 18 (Pl. Zbawiciela), tel. 508 316 976. Open Mon-Sat 13:00-last

BARS & PUBS guest; Sun 16:00-last guest. Plan B is a byword for everything that’s hip and happening in Warsaw. Design doesn’t even come into the equation in this grubby upstairs bar, but the free spirits can’t get enough of it. With the weather warming up, don’t be surprised to find the shenanigans spilling onto the concourse outside.

Pochwała Niekonsekwencji ul. Grójecka 118, tel. 22 823 1898. Open 10:00-1:00. As avant-garde as they come, you’d expect this sort of place in Praga, not the heart of Ochota. Filled with dog eared books and contemporary art you’ll find the day’s offers chalked on the blackboard; among them, gourmet beers from obscure, offbeat breweries.

Dirty and daring, nights at Saturator start off quiet before erupting into a full-on party for people of all proclivities. Definitely gives you a taste of Warsaw’s naughty side, with music coming courtesy of figures like DJ Ladyboy and Electrohell.

Sense (D4)  ul. Nowy Świat 19, tel. 22 826 6570. Open Mon-Fri 12:00-last guest. Everything you see you’ll want to stroke. Design elements include natural stone and cool lighting, though the real draw here are the drinks; enjoy elaborate cocktails fixed by an exhibitionist staff.

Sketch (E4)  ul. Foksal 19, tel. 602 762 764, www.sketch. pl. Open daily 12:00-1:00; upstairs bar open Fri-Sat 20:00-1:00. Cool, sophisticated and fun. The international spread of beers is impressive, practically unbeatable in fact, and served inside edgy minimalist interiors.

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Sofa ul. Emilii Plater 28 (enter from Nowogrodzka 56), tel. 22 626 1415, www.sofa.waw.pl. Open 8:30-24:00; Sat 13:00-24:00; Sun 13:0022:00.Long and narrow, here’s a haunt that just goes on and on and on. Decorated with plush, deep sofas, black and white cityscapes >>

Porto Praga ul. Okrzei 23, tel. 22 698 5001, www.portopraga.pl. Open Mon-Thurs 12:001:00; Fri-Sat 12:00-2:00; Sun 12:00-24:00.

Some of Poland’s best cocktails knocked up by a crew of pros who know their trade inside out. Looking slinky smooth, PP is a one-stop destination: a top restaurant and bar shaken into one.

Przekąski Zakąski/Bistro (D2) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 13, tel. 22 826 7936. Open 24 hours. Shots of vodka and plates of Polish stomach liners are dispensed inside a mirrored environment with droopy plants. It’s an after club must, with stern service guaranteed from agitated oldies dressed in tuxedos. Packed to the brim come three, four even five am.

Pub Lolek (B8)  ul. Rokitnicka 20 (Pole Mokotowskie), entrance from Żwirki i Wigury, tel. 22 825 6202, www.lolekpub.pl. Open daily 11:00-03:00. The outdoor patio is packed in the summer, with the Żywiec flowing and kiełbasa grilling, while in winter a basic timber interior fills out come weekends.

Resort (C2) ul. Bielańska 1, tel. 535 350 997.

Open 12:00-last guest. One of the best designs of 2011, with pretty much all interior features made from reusable materials: seats from shopping trolleys, tables from street signs and a bar from books. Shame about the one dimensional beer choice, therefore.

Saturator (Praga) ul. 11 Listopada 22, 504 353 7772, www.saturator.art.pl. Open 19:00-last guest.

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GOING OUT >> and polished wood flooring , it’s position and it’s look make it the perfect after-work joint.

SomePlace Else (E5) ul. B. Prusa 2 (Sheraton), tel. 022 450 6707.

Open Mon 12:00-24:00, Tue-Thur 12:00-2:00, Sat 16:00-2:00, Sun 12:00-23:00. SPE have a new cosmopolitan look that makes use of a glowing bar, Minsk grey colours and exposed piping. Certainly the hippest of the hotel gang, live music and expert cocktails make sure it draws more than the lodgers upstairs.

Spotkanie z Szpiegiem (D6) ul. Marszałkowska 27/35. Open Mon-Fri 8:00-

last guest; Sat-Sun 10:00-last guest.

You’d usually be right to avoid a place where the main decorative element is a fridge. But when that fridge is home to umpteen beers from Poland’s best, alternative breweries you know you’re on a winner. Little more than a small, rotund room, it’s immediately likeable – it’s got the ‘artistic’ spirit of the nearby Plan B, yet none of the vomit.

Szparka (E5) Pl. Trzech Krzyży 16A, tel. 22 621 0370.

Open 24hrs. It looks like a generic, city center bar, and while no longer a hip, happening haunt it’s as popular as ever with a middle-

aged crowd. Set on numerous levels, its open hours alone demand Szparka’s inclusion to any Going Out list.

Warsaw Tortilla Factory (D5) ul. Wilcza 46, tel. 22 621 8622. Open SunThu 12:00-24:00, Fri-Sat 12:00-03:00.

More than just a Tex Mex joint, this is the working model of the expat stronghold; they’ve got the food, the live music, a strong group of regulars and, better still, a spread of Sky Sports screens zapping in goalmouth action from across the world.

Warszawa Powiśle (E4) ul. Kruczkowskiego 3B. Open Mon-Fri 7:00last guest, Sat-Sun 10:00-last guest.

A renovated railway ticket booth now houses one of Warsaw’s coolest bars. Organic beers, cheap shots, great music and a huge crowd of revellers spilling into the street makes it a great stop for those who want to avoid the club scene.

Wiatraki (D4) ul. Kubusia Puchatka 8, tel. 828 4034.

Open daily 11:00-22:00. A backstreet, Dutch-owned haunt where great snacks and sandwiches are overshadowed only by the beer – find a series of gourmet Benelux beers inside this friendly, two-floor operation.

jazz clubs

Jazzownia Liberalna (D1)  ul. Jezuicka 1/3 (Old Town Market Square), tel. 22 635 3769. Open Mon-Sun 11:00-last guest. This place seems to have it all – location, great music, tasty chic fusion cuisine and prices that won’t intimidate.

Tygmont Jazz Club (D3)  ul. Mazowiecka 6/8, tel. 22 828 3409, www.tygmont.com.pl. Open daily 16:00-4:00.

For true jazz lovers, Tygmont is a breath of fresh air in a city up to its ears in terrible acoustics. Soulful rhythms and straightforward décor characterize this laid-back music club.

clubs

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1500m2 (E3) ul. Solec 18, tel. 22 628 8412. Open Fri-Sat 22:00-06:00. The most talked about dance space of 2010, and further evidence that Warsaw is catching up with Berlin when it comes to urban cool. Decorated with graffiti squiggles and industrial leftovers this warehouse space has acquired a name for dawn-till-dusk electro events.

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JAZZ CLUBS/CLUBS The Bank (D3) ul. Mazowiecka 14, www.bankclub.pl.

Open Mon-Thur 18:00-24:00; Fri 18:00-06:00; Sat 22:00-6:00. With four bars spread across 1,500 meters of dance space The Bank makes an impression alright. The place is huge, though you won’t need GPS to track down the lookers.

Capitol Theatre and Club (C3) ul. Marszałkowska 115, tel. 22 826 8570, www.clubcapitol.pl. A massive space, sparkly chandelier and Moscow-style, over-the-top décor and regal staircases.

Free entry or zł.30 for Hed Kandi events.

BEST WAWA 2010 Capital Living Award De lite (E5) ul. Marii Konopnickiej 6, www.deliteclub.com.

Open Fri-Sat 21:00-last guest. Exposed brick pipes, raw concrete and an interesting mirror set-up in the bathrooms add to the futuristic, pretty-in-pink, spaceship interiors. Joining the top table of Warsaw’s other ‘uber klubs’ De Lite gets even better once access to the VIP room is scored.

Enklawa (D3) ul. Mazowiecka 12, tel. 22 827 3151, www.enklawa.com. Open Wed-Sat 21:004:00. Enklawa borders its glitz on kitsch but every weekend, it manages to draw in big crowds with its lineup of club and pop hits.

The dance floor is always packed, even on weekdays, and it’s a surefire winner as the top Wednesday in town.

The Eve (D3) Pl. Piłsudskiego 9 (corner of ul. Wierzbowa), tel. 22 827 5242, www.theeve.pl. Open WedFri 17:00-last guest; Sat 20:00-last guest.

The crowd is smoking hot, with a cutthroat door policy that sees egos crash and burn at the entrance. Run by the same team behind Platinium, the high jinks and capers are best observed from behind the one way mirror in the VIP room.

Hunters’ (D4) ul. Jasna 1, tel. 606 393 540, www.huntersclub.pl. Open 22:00-6:00.

Rising from the ashes of what was once Utopia is Hunters’, a high-end venue whose entry

policy is every bit as daunting as that of the prior occupants. Aimed at a glam, fox-tailed crowd, this basement dance zone features factory grey colours interspersed with murals of tux-clad deer and ornamental mirrors. With nights like Gay Cum Back, it’s very much the VIP gay/straight/confused venue of choice.

Klubokawiarnia (D3) ul. Czackiego 8, www.klubo.pl. Open daily 21:00-last guest. If you ignore the latent fire hazard presented by this basement dive club then a Warsaw stalwart awaits. Writhing like a can of sweating worms, find a mid-20s party crowd enjoying house sounds inside a scabby looking space with flea bitten pics of Lenin & Co. Enter via a side door in the courtyard gateway and let the battle begin.

Luztro (E4) Al. Jerozolimskie 6, www.luztro.pl. Open Tue-Sun 23:00-last guest. Feeling naughty?

Then check Luztro, a grim, grotty den where rules don’t apply. Embedded in folklore, this after-party legend really kicks off at around 5am, when troglodyte club creatures emerge >>

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GOING OUT >> to put the finishing touches to their saucereyed stare. Your No. 1 choice for electro and minimal, it’s the full-tilt clubbing experience.

Your head will hate you.

Obiekt Znaleziony (C3)  ul. Małachowskiego 3 (cellar of the Zachęta National Gallery), tel. 22 828 058, www.obiekt.blog.pl. Open Mon-Thrus & Sun 12:00- 1:00; Fri & Sat 12:00-last guest.

Located in the cellar of the Zachęta gallery, this club is a modern and minimalist artsy gathering spot for the alternative crowd.

Opera Club (D2) Underground of Teatr Wielki, Pl. Teatralny 1, tel. 22 828 7075, www.operaclub.pl. Open Fri & Sat 22:00-last guest. A labyrinth of passageways and chambers await in Opera, a subterranean club located underneath the National Theater. Touting an exotic, far eastern look, it’s one of the best designed clubs you could imagine, with a young, slinky crowd lapping up sounds from Warsaw’s upcoming DJs. BEST WAWA 2010 “Best Night Out-Club” Winner

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Ósmy dzień tygodnia (G9) ul. Czerska 12, tel. 508 111 221. Open daily 18:00-last guest. A huge, grungey dive club that’s become the latest hit among the uni-generation. Graffiti clad walls, warehouse trappings and a mega loud sound system complete the look. Entertainment ranges from hip hop sets and avant-garde film, to performances by esoteric bands like the Bi-Polar Bears.

Piekarnia (A1) ul. Młocińska 11, www.pieksa.pl. Check Web for events. Go back a couple of dog years and you’d have heard some clubbers hailing Piekarnia as one of the best nights in CEE. So what went wrong? Well, the old faces grew up and went elsewhere. They’re being replaced by a new generation, and while Piekarnia has a long way to recover the glories of the past, we’re starting to hear good things once more. House, trance and electro enjoyed by a diverse spread of club characters.

Platinium (D3)  ul. Fredry 6, tel. 22 596 4666,

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wwwplatiniumclub.pl. Open Mon-Thur 12:00-1:00, Fri 12:00-5:00, Sat 16:00-5:00.

The place if you’re rich or beautiful – but preferably both. Large and spectacular you’ll need to be dressed to the nines to reap the rewards that lie inside: featuring the most eye candy per sq/m in Europe, you might not find Mr/Mrs Right, but you will find Mr/Mrs Right for Now. Sen Pszczoły (Praga) ul. Inżynierska 3, tel 22 506 488 481, www.senpszczoly.pl. One of Praga’s newest late-night hot spots. Musical offerings vary depending on the date, but they offer live music or DJs most weekends - check the website for detailed programmes.

Space Club (A5) ul. Kolejowa 37/39, tel. 606 617 228, www.club-space.eu. Open Fri-Sat 23:006:00. A true techno club with crazy lights, a great sound system, big name DJs, and lots of room to waggle about and enjoy Ibiza flashbacks.

TILL YOU DROP Boutiques, Fashion & Shopping Malls SECTIONS fashion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 62

home decor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p. 64

shopping malls. . . . . . . . . . . . p. 64

Insider’s Pick HOT FIND Red Onion Concept Store and Café ul. Szpitalna 8 (in the courtyard), . tel. 22 826 00 08, . Open Mon-Sat 9:00-20:00, Sun 9:00-18:00

PHOTOGRAPH BY MAREK BECZEK

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“ Personally, I fell in love with the ceramic knives – decked in all the colors of the rainbow”

f you’re hanging out in the center and your friends are running late then why not pop by the Red Onion Concept Store on Szpitalna (just behind Wedel). Who knows, by the time you’ve licked your fingers clean of rose meringue, you might just text your pals telling them to join you round Red Onion’s communal, Charlotte-style table.

But while the Szpitalna branch of Red Onion doubles as a cafe, you’ll know that RO aren’t usually associated with pastries.

No, the strong point here is international design, as proved by their flagship store on Burakowska. On Szpitalna the inspiration is clearly American and Brit (it looks like Nigella has left some of her kitchen kit here), though there are also hints of French and Polish. For instance, check out the cups – a clear take on the PRL-style mugs oft-found in milk bars.

Then there are Umbra toys (for boys of all age), unique designer jewelry from Paris, Italy and the UK, as well as gorgeous furniture from Vitra. Personally, I fell in love with the ceramic knives – decked in all the colors of the rainbow – as well as the folding calendars and pig pink mugs. Cooking actually seems fun when you check all that jazz.

Set in the former Wedel Factory and residence, the interiors are a splurge in themselves. The Red Onion team have actually been bidding to open a new location for the last twelve years, however it was only when this spot became free that they felt they’d found an address worthy of the brand. And my, what a job they’ve done. Set over 350sq/m, this 19th Century tenement has been given the full beauty treatment, with exposed bricks, high ceilings and an atmosphere of complete peace and calm. Fresh and innovative, it’s further proof of Red Onion’s rising stock. (AJ) >>

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...TILL YOU DROP >>

­fashion

Ania Kuczyńska (E5) ul. Mokotowska 61. Open Mon-Fri 12:0019:00; Sat 12:00-16:00. Ania Kuczyńska is becoming well known for her highly fashionable, minimalist clothing designs. .

The store also carries adorable baby clothes and various accessories.

Anna Walker (B6) tel. 22 825 0664, www.annawalker.eu. .

This new atelier comes from Canadian designer Anna Walker. A bright, welcoming showroom houses a collection of stylish gowns for special events and formal occasions.

Blind Cafe Concept Store (D6) ul. Mokotowska 63/100 (courtyard). .

Open Mon-Sat 10:00-20:00; Sun 13:00-18:00.

This eclectic 50’s-style place is well-stocked with unique pieces for women and cool gadgets for men. A perfect place for those who are looking for something more than a mall for a style fix.

Clue (E3) ul. Solec 101, tel. 22 695 7897, . www.cluefashion.com. Open Mon-Fri 11:0019:00; Sat 11:00-16:00. Clue stocks items from Moschino, ASOS, DKNY, Marc Jacobs, Valentino, Cavalli, Steve Madden, Armani, as well as up-and-coming designers, and a number of children’s brands.

Designer Secret Al. Witosa 31 (1st floor, outlet 119), .

CH Panorama, tel. 506 051 048, . www.designersecret.pl. High end designer clothing brands at discount prices. The racks brim with women and men’s apparel from the 2008-2010 collections, with price tags that read from one third to 50% off the original price. Labels inc. Prada, Smith, McCartney and more.

Emporio Armani (E4) ul. Nowy Świat 7, tel. 22 626 0650. .

Open Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00; Sat 10:00-17:00.

The name speaks for itself. If you’re craving . a bit of Milano style, make sure to stop into the Emporio Armani store, just off the Rondo De Gaulle’a in the center of town.

Ermenegildo Zegna (E5) Pl. Trzech Krzyży 3, tel. 22 584 7000, . www.zegna.com. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00; Sat 11:00-17:00. Everything for the welldressed man, from suits to belts, sportswear and cologne.

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Flaming & Co. (D6) Galeria Mokotów, ul. Wołoska 12, . tel. 22 629 0545, www.flaming-co.com.

Open Mon-Fri 10:00-20:00; Sat 10:00-18:00.

This concept store, now re-opened on ul.

Mokotowska after renovation work, brings a fresh seaside breeze to Warsaw. Also checkout the branch of Flaming & Kids on . ul. Mokotowska.

Green Store (D4) ul. Chmielna 30, tel. 606 147 336, . www.gestablishment.com. Open Mon-Fri 10:00-19:00; Sat 11:00-15:00. The breakthrough fashion stars from Praga have opened their first boutique in Centrum, featuring their signature funky styles and accessories from Prada, Miu Miu and Gucci in a very cool space.

Joanna Klimas (B2) ul. Nowolipki 2, tel. 22 831 0292, . www.joannaklimas.com. Open Mon-Fri 9:0020:00. One of Poland’s top fashion designers runs this boutique/showroom. Choose from the latest collections or have a dress custom made for a particular occasion.

Justyna Chrabelska (by appt) (E6) tel. 502 437 200, info@justynachrabelska. com, www.justynachrabelska.com. One of Warsaw’s most talented designers runs her own showroom in the center solely by appointment. With stylish, feminine dresses or funky contemporary dresses each season, this is the place to score the perfect dress, whether you’re a celebrity or just want to dress like one.

L’Aura (E6) ul. Mokotowska 26, tel. 22 625 1680. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00; Sat 11:00-15:00. Warsaw has its modest share of designer boutiques, but L’Aura is the only place in the city where you can find unique pieces from the likes of Hussein Chalayan, Dries Van Noten and Veronique Branquinho.

Likus Concept Store (D3) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 16/18 (courtyard), tel. 22 492 7409, . www.likusconceptstore.pl. The Likus Concept Store brings ultra-chic designer clothing to Warsaw. The latest collections from Diesel, D2, Ferre, Sophia Kokosalaki and J. Lindeberg are all available and presented in this stylish three-floor department store.

Lilla Moda (multiple locations)

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Galeria Mokotów, Klif www.lilla.com.pl. .

Here you’ll find exclusive Italian clothing brands, including Versace Jeans, Just Cavalli, GF FERRE, D&G, EXTE and Liu Jo. Loding Shoes and Shirts (C12) ul. Wołoska 12, 1st Floor, tel. 22 541 3774, www.loding.pl. Open Mon-Sat 10:00-22:00; Sun 10:00-21:00. The respected French shirtand-shoemaker recently opened its first shop in Warsaw. The place to go for top-of-the-line shirts, cufflinks and made-to-order dress shoes for the well-dressed man.

Luxury & Liberty (Saska Kępa) Promenada Shopping Centre, . ul. Ostrobramska 75C. Open Mon-Sat 10:0021:00; Sun 10:00-19:00. The Luxury bar on . ul. Nowy Świat went bankrupt in about a minute. But its fashion counterpart managed to come back in style with a sprawling new boutique in the Promenada shopping centre.

While the location’s a bit inconvenient, the selection of quality designer gear at L&L and other shops makes it well worth the trip.

Maciej Zień Boutique ul. Mokotowska 57, tel. 22 611 7337, . www.zien.pl. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-20:00; Sat 11:00-15:00. A flagship boutique from one of the stars of Polish fashion. Check Zień Home upstairs for the ultra-designer showroom.

Max Mara ul. Nowy Świat 1. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00; Sat 11:00-16:00. Poland’s first Max Mara mega store, with interior designed by Corso Vittorio Emanuele. Find all the latest from Max Mara Runway and the Max Mara Atelier coat collection, as well as Sportmax Runway and a growing range of in-house accessories.

Mokobelle ul. Wilcza 3 (entrance from Mokotowska 54), tel. 508 010 204. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00; Sat 11:00-16:00. An eclectic collection of Polish jewelry, along with piecesfrom worldclass names like Rodrigo Otazu and Phillipe Audibert. .

Moliera 2 Boutique (D2) ul. Moliera 2, . tel, 22 827 7099, office@moliera2.com, . www.moliera2.com. Open Mon-Fri 11:0019:00, Sat 11:00-16:00. Moliera 2 is the first place in Poland with collections of Valentino, Christian Louboutin, Salvatore Ferragamo, Ralph Lauren Collection, Herve Leger, .

Moncler Gamme Rouge and Balmain.

FASHION Muji (A1) Arkadia Mall (lok 23 A), Al. Jana Pawła II 82, tel. 22 356 1039, www.muji.com.pl. .

Open Mon-Sat 10:00-22:00; Sun 10:00-.

21:00. Having first opened its doors in 1983, in Japan, Muji still retains its simple aesthetic and ethos of marrying functionality with sophistication, with products ranging from furniture, kitchenware, stationary and clothing. Check out their online store.

Odzieżowe Pole (E6) ul. Mokotowska 51/53, tel. 22 622 4867.

This is the only place in Warsaw where you can find limited-edition pieces from some of Poland’s most talented young designers.

Beautifully feminine dresses, skirts, blouses and jackets. There’s also a fashionable cafe upstairs for a quick-pick-me-up.

Pl.Trzech Krzyży 3/4 Pl. Trzech Krzyży 3/4, tel. 22 622 14 16, store@ plactrzechkrzyzy.com. Open Mon-Fri 11:0019:00; Sat 11:00-17:00. The first Ralph Lauren store in Poland, features not only the latest RL collections for men and women, but also labels like Tod’s, Moncler and Salvatore Ferragamo.

Ready-to-wear clothes and accessories.

Premiere (A2) Klif shopping Centre, ul. Okopowa 58/72, tel. 22 531 4710. The boutique continues the Versace connection with a special “Versace Corner” nestled in the company of the last pieces from the Calvin Klein Collection and VJC Versace.

Redford and Grant (D3) Metropolitan Building, Pl. Piłsudskiego 3, tel. 22 313 2400, www.redfordandgrant.pl.

Open Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00; Sat: 11:00-15:00.

This multibrand fashion store is the ultimate destination for designer style in Warsaw for men and women. Offers clothing and accessories from the newest collections from all the major international designers like Dior, YSL, D&G, Gucci, Miu Miu and Prada.

Rodrigo de la Garza (Ochota) ul. Bema 65, suite 6; www.delagarza.it.

Opening hours: by appointment. Rodrigo de la Garza is an eponymous menswear label started up by an ambitious young man from Mexico who’s happened to opt for Poland as his home base. The designer’s speciality is custom-made, or bespoke suits, ideally cut and in all the styles and patterns you could possibly conjure up.

Rudolf & Co. (by appointment only) tel. 790 604 634, . www.rudolfco.com. A team of six tailors, the selection of which took some four years to finalise, sews items in-house. A darling of local press, with bespoke suits a specialty.

Simple (Various Locations) Klif, Arkadia, Sadyba, Blue City and Galeria Mokotów (see site for more locations and opening hours), tel. 22 531 4500 (Klif), . www.simple-cp.com. This original Polish brand has risen up the ranks over the past 15 years to become one of the most stylish labels on the market. Just the place to find minimalist pieces for the office or more . daring dresses for the evening for a reasonable price-quality ratio.

accessories

400 Rabbits (E6) ul. Mokotowska 24, tel. 22 629 2636, . www.rs-store.pl. Open Mon-Fri 13:00-20:00; Sat 12:00-17:00. This is more than just a sneaker shop. Art, sport and fashion unite in this funky space.

Bagatt (E6) ul. Mokotowska 28, tel. 22 621 9144. .

Open Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00; Sat 11:00-15:00.

Bagatt features Italian-made footwear. A savvy alternative to the upmarket brands up the street on Pl. Trzech Krzyży.

Batycki (various locations) ul. Zgoda 9 & ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 42/44 (Bristol Hotel), tel. 22 828 2167, . www.batycki.pl. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-18:00; Sat 10:00-16:00. Bozena Batycka’s sleek, simple handbag designs are made with italian leather. While her products are not inexpensive by Polish standards, their uniqueness combined with substantial durability make them a perenial favourite among expats in the know.

Chiara (Saska Kępa) Promenada Shopping Centre, . ul. Ostrobramska 75C, tel. 22 611 3814. You’d never expect it but this chic little shop stocks the best shoes and bags in the city – stock up on the latest collections from Michael Kors, Celine, Stuart Weitzman, Ralph Lauren and Mulberry.

Church’s (E5) Pl. Trzech Krzyży 10/14, tel. 22 745 0810.

Open Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00; Sat 10:00-17:00.

A classic Englishman’s establishment stocking the world’s best dress shoes.

Dada (Praga) ul. Ząbkowska 38, tel. 602 173 717, . www.galeriadada.pl. Open Mon-Fri 11:00–19:00; Sat 11:00-15:00. It’s a bit hard to define exactly what Dada sells – (from jewellery to lamps, tunics and kitchen appliances) – but one thing is for sure: you won’t find any of it anywhere else.

Elf Joy by Kasia Kucharska (by appt) tel. 792 793 729, www.elfjoy.com. Kasia Kucharska travels all over the world to find stones that she turns into brilliant hand-made pieces of semi-precious stones, including amethyst, tourmaline and garnett. Available by special order.

Frey Wille (D4) ul. Nowy Świat 37, tel. 22 827 5503, . www.frey-wille.com. Open Mon-Fri 10:0019:00; Sat 10:00-17:00. You may not find a diamond ring here, but this is certainly the place to go to if you’re looking for jewellery that will spice up your outfits with a brilliant splash of colour. These Vienna-based jewellers work almost entirely in enamels made by mixing finely-ground glass and minerals.

Furla (E5) Galeria Mokotów, ul. Wołoska 12, . tel. 22 541 3896, www.furla.com. .

Open Mon-Sat 10:00-22:00; Sun 10:00-21:00.

The highly-coveted handbag label’s flagship store in Warsaw features all the latest styles from Milan.

Hermitage Boutique (D3) Metropolitan Building, Pl. Piłsudskiego 1, . tel. 22 323 7676, www.hermitage.pl. .

Get set to indulge at Warsaw’s most . prestigious fine watch and jewelry boutique.

Offers a world-class selection of pieces from Girard Perregaux, Chopard, Bvlgari, Blancpain, Chaumet, de Grisogono, Omega, Breitling and Scatolo del Tempo, along with limited edition Vertu mobiles.

Hublot Boutique (D3) Pl. Piłsudskiego 2, tel. 22 821 0101. .

This luxury boutique features the most coveted timepieces in all the world.

Jaime Mascaro (E4) ul. Mysia 5 (Liberty Corner), tel. 22 596 5115.

Open Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00; Sat 10:00-17:00 The Mascaro family has been making shoes for three generations. Here, you can get the latest >>

www.warsawinsider.pl

63

...TILL YOU DROP >> styles in quality materials for a fraction of what you’d pay at the P3K shops up the street.

J.M. Weston (E5) Pl. Trzech Krzyży 10/14, tel. 22 745 0810. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00; Sat 10:00-17:00.

This French luxury leather shoe and accessories brand has been known for its Parisian style and American-inspired technique since the late 19th century.

Kate & Kate (D5) ul. Wspólna 50A/20, tel. 501 021 841, . www.kateandkate.pl Open Mon-Fri 13:0019:00; Sat 10:00-14:00 This shop is so tucked away, you’d never find it without heads up from a friend or fellow Insider. But once you do, be prepared to enter a world of brilliant accessories.

home décor & interior design

3F Studio (B2) ul. Nowolipki 28b, tel. 22 651 5644, www.3fstudio.com.pl. Open Mon-Fri 11:0019:00; Sat 11:00-15:00. Offers furnishings and lighting from top contemporary Italian brands like BB Italia, Moroso, Living Divani, Desalto and Artemide. The in-house design team creates custom interiors for clients.

Apteka Sztuki (E6) Al. Wyzwolenia 3/5, tel. 22 622 0421. Open Tues-Sat 11:00-18:00; Sun 11:00-17:00.

Apteka Sztuki is an art gallery that features collections by up-and-coming contemporary artists, preferring promising unknowns to big names. The exhibits, which rotate on a monthly basis, include a variety of media created by artists from all over Europe (although the focus is on Poland).

Bo Concept (A1) ul. Młocińska 5/7, tel. 22 636 7770. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-20:00; Sat 11:00-18:00; Sun 11:00-16:00. Lovely, clean lines make this one of the best places to invest in good furniture and statement accessories for the home.

www.egoeco.eu. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00; Sat 12:00-17:00. Stocks everything from unique handmade jewellery to pure linen hand towels, traditional honey and organic soaps. Combines style with an eco-philosophy. Great for gifts.

Galeria 2 Deco (D6) ul. Wilcza 71, tel. 22 621 2420, . www.2deco.pl. A small yet concise collection of brilliant home furnishings that combine the classic with contemporary at fair prices.

Special orders and consulting also available.

Glamstore (C9) ul. Narbutta 83 (entry from ul. Łowicka), . tel. 22 403 2300, www.glamstore.com.pl.

Open Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00; Sat 11:00-15:00.

Widely hailed by Poland’s fashion glossies, this store sells modern furnishings with all the trimmings and colours you could ask for. They also stock kitchen and bathroom accessories, as well as touting their own jewelery line.

Koło Antiques Market (Wola) between ul. Obozowa and ul. Newelska.

Open Sat-Sun 8:00-14:00. .

Perfect for the casual browser . or Eastern European history buff . searching for antiques with a historical . twist. A fun place to browse silver cutlery, . military paraphernalia, pre-war crockery, chunky furniture, vintage toys and just . about any bric-a-brac.

Mokotowska 71 (E5) ul. Mokotowska 71, tel. 22 629 0511, . www.mokotowska71.pl. Open Mon-Fri 11:0019:00; Sat 11:00-16:00. Offering creations by Belgian and French designers, this shop just screams elegance, beauty and style. An ideal place for brides-to-be to register, as service in English is available.

Coqlila ul. Lentza 20 (Wilanów), tel. 22 651 6884, . www.coqlila.pl. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00; .

Sat 10:00-16:00.Home products with a marked provincial French style. Among the offer are fabrics, fragrances, furniture and kitchenware.

MOOMO ul. Marynarska 15, NEW CITY building (Mokotów), tel. 22 360 4389, . www.moomo.pl. Open Mon-Fri 11:00-20:00; Sat 11:00-15:00.Fun furniture styles . and innovative products. There are . products from designers Joseph .

Joseph as well as a range of prestigious Scandinavian nd European brands, among whose number are Marimeko, Muuto, Kähler, Normann Copenhagen and Design House Stockholm.

ego&eco (D4) ul. Nowy Świat 35, tel. 22 826 2512. .

Numero Uno (C3) ul. Grzybowska 4, tel. 22 620 0049, .

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Wa r s a w I n s i d e r : 0 1 - 3 0 N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 1

www.numerouno.pl. Exclusive furniture . and fittings with brands including .

Poggenpohl, Presotto Italia, Calia Italia, .

EGO zeroventiquattro, Masiero, Bang & Olufsen and Porsche.

Red Onion (A1) ul. Burakowska 5/7, tel. 22 817 1339, . www.redonion.pl. Red Onion sells furniture, lamps, ceramics and glassware, . sourced from all over the world. .

Red Onion’s new internet shopping site makes it even easier to indulge, whatever your budget.

shopping malls

Arkadia (A1) Al. Jana Pawła II 82, www.arkadia.com.pl.

Open Mon-Sat 10:00-22:00, Sun 10:00-21:00 Blue City (A6) Al. Jerozolimskie 179, www.bluecity.pl.

Open Mon-Sat 10:00-21:00, Sun 10:00-20:00 Fashion House Outlet Centre (E8) ul. Puławska 42E, www.fashionhouse.pl Galeria KEN Center/ E. Leclerc (Ursynów) ul. Ciszewskiego 15, www.eleclerc.pl. Open Mon-Thurs 9:00-21:30, Fri 9:00-22:00, Sun 9:00-21:00 Galeria Mokotów (C12) ul. Wołoska 12, www.galeriamokotow.com.pl.

Open Mon-Sat 10:00-22:00, Sun 10:00-20:00

Klif (A2) ul. Okopowa 58/72, tel. 22 531 4500, . www.klif.pl.

Open Mon-Sat 09:00-21:00; Sun 10:00-20:00 Panorama (G10) Al. Witosa 31, tel. 22 640 1400. Open Mon-Fri 10:00-20:00; Sat 11:00-18:00; Sun 11:00-16:00 Promenada (Saska Kępa) ul. Ostrobramska 75c, www.promenada.com.

Open Mon-Sat 10:00-21:00; Sun 10:00-19:00 Złote Tarasy (C4) ul. Złota 59, www.zlotetarasy.pl.

Open Mon-Sat 9:00-22:00; Sun 9:00-21:00 Over 200 stores, restaurants and cafes, plus the Multikino cinema and the Pure Health and Fitness Club.

LIFESTYLE Accommodation, Education and more...

INDEX Accommodation ��������������������������������������������������� p.66 Medical �����������������������������������������������������������������p.72 Community Contacts �������������������������������������������� p.68 Transportation �������������������������������������������������������p.72 Health and Beauty �������������������������������������������������p.71 Education ��������������������������������������������������������������p.73

Insider’s Pick “ I mean, it does hurt, of course, but not nearly as much as one imagines”

PHOTOGRAPH BY BARTOSZ BAJERSKI

HOT FIND

Black Star Studio ul. Nowowiejska 12/18, tel. 22 658 4592, www.blackstarstudio.pl.

Open Mon-Fri 12:00-18:00; Sat 11:00-14:00.

W

hile most of us don’t have a lifestyle that can accommodate a full sleeve of skulls and crossbones, sometimes a little personalized tattoo here or there can be a fun way to express one’s individuality. Now if you’ve already done some research, you’ll know that summer isn’t exactly the best time to get a tattoo – it’s too hot, and walking around with plastic wrapped round your wrist or ankle isn’t exactly comfortable. Which is why I held off until the weather cooled down in September to act on an idea that had been floating around my mind (or fluttering, rather). I really wanted to get two bright butterflies on my forearm, and I finally got up the guts to do it.

I’d passed by Black Star Studio quite a few times as it’s on my way home from work, just between my favorite new street Poznańska and Politechnika metro. It is the most professional-looking place I’ve found in the city, with a punk-glam storefront and friendly personnel.

It usually takes about a month or two for an appointment, but I managed to slide into a recent cancellation slot. In my case, the process was simpler as I’d already had my design ready – taken out of an 18th Century book of nature etchings. But Piotrek, the resident artiste, can create just about any design. He actually helped me tweak up the colors and graphics a bit on my designs to make them totally original and really cool.

As for the pain factor, as we all know, this is the worst part about getting a tattoo – but I really have to say, as a first timer I found the process entirely bearable. I mean, it does hurt, of course, but not nearly as much as one imagines.

Black Star Studio is run by Piotrek and Emilia, and they also have a second location on Zamenhofa 1, close to Pl. Bankowy. I really recommend this place for anyone looking to get some ink because it’s totally professional and puts even the most nervous first-timer entirely at ease. And, most importantly, my new tattoos are super cool. And, hopefully, they’ll still be cool in the years to come – if not, there’s always laser removal, I guess... (AL)

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LIFESTYLE >>

Accommodation

Some hotel prices might not include VAT

APARTMENTS, HOTELS

­top hotels in Warsaw 5-star hotels

tel. 22 551 1000, www.starwoodhotels.com.

Single room: €129-159, double room: €139-169. Fitness centre, gym, swimming pool, sauna.

Mamaison Le Régina Hotel Warsaw (C1) ul. Kościelna 12, tel.22 531 6000, Hilton Warsaw (B4) www.mamaison.com. Muffle up for an evening ul. Grzybowska 63, tel. 22 356 5555, prowl around old town, before spoiling www.hilton.com. Single and double room yourself inside the desginer confines of this €95-125 (weekend), €135 (weekdays). Excelboutique masterpiece. Prices start from lent services and amenities in a world-class approx. €115, but it’s well worth your time hotel and conference centre. Holmes Place browsing their ‘romantic break’ and ‘just Lifestyle Club offers premium fitness facilities. married’ packages.

Hyatt Regency Warsaw (E8) ul. Belwederska 23, tel. 22 558 1234, www.warsaw.regency@hyatt.com, www.warsaw.regency.hyatt.com. Venti Tre Italian Restaurant, Q Club Restaurant and Bar, Club Oasis Fitness Centre, indoor swimming pool, spa & massage services.

InterContinental (C4) ul. Emilii Plater 49, tel. 22 328 8888, www.warsaw.intercontinental.com. Single & double rooms: €95-155. Riverview Wellness Centre and swimming pool on top floor.

BEST WAWA 2010 Capital Living Award Le Meridien Bristol (D3) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 42/44,

With everything from economy to luxury vehicles auTOauTO.Pl will find the right car for you.

AUTOAUTO.PL The best-performing

Financing, insurance, registration, full car service plus short and long term rentals all undeR One ROOF

used car site in Poland, and the national leader in used car sales!

Sofitel Victoria (D3) ul. Królewska 11, tel. 22 657 8011, www.orbis.pl. Single & double rooms: €95200. Swimming pool now open to the public.

Westin (B4) Al. Jana Pawła II 21, tel. 22 450 8000, www.westin.com/warsaw. Single & double rooms: €77-126. Gym and sauna.

Marriott (C5) Al. Jerozolimskie 65/79, tel. 22 630 6306, www.marriott.com/wawpl Single & double rooms: zł. 528 (weekdays), zł. 376 (weekend). 4-star hotels Gym and swimming pool.

Jan III Sobieski (B5) pl. Zawiszy 1, tel. 22 579 1000, The Rialto Boutique Hotel (D6) www.sobieski.com.pl Single & double rooms ul. Wilcza 73, tel. 22 584 8700, €60-94. Gym, jacuzzi, sauna. www.hotelrialto.com.pl. Top-class boutique hotel in the centre of Warsaw. Single room: Holiday Inn (C4) €140, double room: €170, apartment: €220. ul. Złota 48/54, tel. 22 697 3999, 24-hour fitness centre for guests only. www.holiday-inn.com. Single room: €100 (weekend), €124 (weekdays), double room: Sheraton (E5) €120 (weekend), €144 (weekdays). Gym, ul. Prusa 2, www.sheraton.com/warsaw, jacuzzi, sauna.­ tel. 22 450 6100. Single & double rooms: €77126. Fitness centre, aerobic studio, sauna.

Mercure Grand Warszawa (D4), ul. Krucza 28, tel. 22 583 2100, www.orbis.pl.

Single & double rooms: €78-112.

We buy, sell and exchange!

Over 1,000 used and new vehicles, all with warranty!

Radisson Blu Centrum Hotel (C3) ul. Grzybowska 24, tel. 22 321 8888. Single & double rooms zł. 420-490 (weekend rate from zł.250). First Class Fitness Centre.

We buy FOR cash

Courtyard by Marriott Hotel (Airport) ul. Żwirki i Wigury 1, tel. 22 650 0100, www.courtyard.com/wawcy. Single & double rooms: €135 (weekdays), €99 (weekend).

Novotel Warszawa Centrum (D5) ul. Marszałkowska 94/98, tel. 22 596 0000, www.novotel.com, www.accorhotels.com.

Single and double rooms: zł.265-480.

Wellness centre and sauna.

Polonia Palace Hotel (C5) Al. Jerozolimskie 45, tel. 22 318 2800, www.poloniapalace.com. Single & double rooms: €60–235. 24-hour fitness centre for hotel guests only.

“We speak English, French, German and Vietnamese” - autoauto.pl Three locations: al. Krakowska 178, ul. Ostrobramska 73, al. Jana Pawła 69 tel. 22 487 5777 and 22 487 5779

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Airport Hotel Okęcie ul. 17-ego Stycznia 24, tel. 22 456 8000, www.airporthotel.pl. Airport Hotel Okęcie

Wa r s a w I n s i d e r : 0 1 - 3 0 N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 1

AUTO_AD-new-new.indd 1

11-07-21 17:24

ACCOMMODATION is located 800 m from Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport. Single & double rooms: â&#x201A;Ź155, â&#x201A;Ź123 (weekdays). Single & double rooms: â&#x201A;Ź70-80 (weekends). Jacuzzi, sauna, tennis courts, and gym.

3-star hotels Hotel Belwederski (E8) ul. Sulkiewicza 11, tel. 22 840 4011, www.hotelbelwederski.pl. Single room: zĹ&#x201A;. 240, double room: zĹ&#x201A;. 280. On weekends 20% discount (Fri-Mon). Breakfast included.

Castle Inn (D1) Pl. Zamkowy, ul. Ĺ&#x161;wiÄ&#x2122;tojaĹ&#x201E;ska 2, tel. 22 425 0100, www.castleinn.pl.

Single & double rooms (Standard castle view): zĹ&#x201A;.190-290. Deluxe apartments: zĹ&#x201A;.

279-430. Breakfast: zĹ&#x201A;. 20. Artsy boutique accomodation on the castle square.

Golden Tulip (B5) ul. Towarowa 2, tel. 22 582 7500. Single & double rooms: Mon.-Fri. zĹ&#x201A;. 369, weekend: zĹ&#x201A;.

299, breakfast (buffet): zĹ&#x201A;. 32. Sauna, jacuzzi, fitness room.

Warsaw Gromada Hotel Airport ul. 17-ego Stycznia 32, tel. 22 576 4600, warszawa.airport@gromada.pl. Single & double rooms: zĹ&#x201A;. 250-420 (weekdays), single & double rooms: zĹ&#x201A;. 200-330 (weekends). Sauna, gym, free for hotel guests.

Hotel Reytan (E8) ul. T. Rejtana 6, tel. 22 201 6400, www. reytan.pl. Single room: zĹ&#x201A;. 360 (week), zĹ&#x201A;. 250

(weekend). Double room: zĹ&#x201A;. 390-550 (week), zĹ&#x201A;. 270-390 (weekend). Breakfast included.

Mercure Warszawa Fryderyk Chopin (B4) Al. Jana PawĹ&#x201A;a II 22, tel. 22 528 0300, www.orbis.pl. Single & double rooms: â&#x201A;Ź90100. Swimming pool, fitness room, massages, Finnish sauna, gym, power plate.

Novotel Warszawa (Airport) ul. 1-ego Sierpnia 1, tel. 22 575 6000, nov.airport@orbis.pl. Single & double rooms: â&#x201A;Ź120-135. Swimming pool, jacuzzi, tennis court, Finnish sauna, power plate.

top hotels around Poland

KrakĂłw 5-star hotels

Hotel Stary ul. SzczepaĹ&#x201E;ska 5, tel. 12 421 4865. Single & double rooms â&#x201A;Ź245-275. Sauna, fitness centre, Spa & Wellness centre, indoor swimming pool, salt cave, roof top bar.

4-star hotels Hotel Pod RóşÄ&#x2026; ul. FloriaĹ&#x201E;ska 14, tel. 12 424 3300. Single & double bedrooms â&#x201A;Ź187-207. Sauna, fitness centre, hiking.

Kazimierz Dolny

KrĂłl Kazimierz ul. PuĹ&#x201A;awska 86, tel. 81 880 9999, www.krolkazimierz.pl. Grand four star hotel. Available activities include bowling,

billiard, a full featured spa, a bar and a night club.

Northeast Poland

Hotel Zamek Ryn Plac WolnoĹ&#x203A;ci 2, Ryn, tel 87 429 7000, www.zamekryn.pl. This impressive hotel, perched on a hill by an idyllic lake, is perfect for group flings like annual company gatherings, and other mass bonding celebrations such as weddings and anniversaries.

GoĹ&#x203A;ciniec Jaczno (Jaczno Lodge) (SuwaĹ&#x201A;ki Lakes district) Jaczno 3, Jeleniewo, tel. 87 568 3590, www.jaczno.pl, jaczno@jaczno.pl.

Single & double rooms zĹ&#x201A;. 210-330. Apartments zĹ&#x201A;. 350-490. Luxurious chalet-style lodge offering biking, fishing, hiking, steam & Finnish sauna, fitness club.

apartments & real estate E-Expert

WARSAW REAL ESTATE & MORTAGE ADVISE

E-Expert NieruchomoĹ&#x203A;ci Kredyty Inwestycje ul. Kopernika 28/1, tel. 606 630 300, www.e-expert.org. Real-estate advisory services for rent and purchase of premium properties across Warsaw, as well as investment advisory for developments across Poland and mortgage servicing for locals and expats.

>>

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www.warsawinsider.pl

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LIFESTYLE >>

Community Contacts GET CONNECTED

Alcoholics Anonymous for Foreigners Based on the traditional AA format, in Warsaw meetings take place on ul. Radna, buzzer #3.

Group meets Mon, Tues, Thurs 18:00 and Sat 11:00 (except the first Saturday of the month).

American Friends in Warsaw AFW offers a variety of social activities, family events and ‘hands-on’ outreach programs supporting vital needs in our host country.

For more information: info@afw.waw.pl.

Amnesty International ul. Piękna 66a, apartment no. 2, 1st floor; tel/fax: 22 827 6000; e-mail: amnesty@ amnesty.org.pl. Donations can be made to Zachodni WBK S.A. 6 O/Gdańsk 85 1090 1098 0000 0000 0959 0181.

Art Friends’ Society For info, contact Justyna Napiórkowska: e-mail: justyna@napiorkowska.pl, mob.

0603-378-567.

Australians in Warsaw The group meets once a month for drinks and a chat. For more information: darren. haines-powell@ifgroup.com.pl.

Awangarda Promotes the integration of people with disabilities into mainstream society. For more information, please contact Małgorzata Sam-

68

borska at e-mail: m.samborska@awangarda. org.pl or visit Awangarda’s website at www.awangarda.org.pl.

ism of key practitioner, Sabina Steckiewicz’s travels around India. Find out more at: www.dharmayoga.pl.

Blanc Lys (Wola) ul. Księcia Janusza 23, tel. 508 162 810, www.blanc-lys.com. The first self-service laundromat in Warsaw, open daily 08:0020:00. Free wi-fi.

Dr Clown Foundation ul. Goszczyńskiego 9, www.drclown.pl.

Provide Patch Adams-style entertainment to kids in 68 hospitals and clinics across Poland.

Further info: tel. 22 854 0501, 02 or 03.

Bread of Life (Chleb Życia) ul. Nowogrodzka 6, www.chlebzycia.org.pl.

Sells items made by both the homeless and women fleeing domestic violence. If you’re interested in the work of the Bread of Life, or would simply like to sponsor a student, email Elizabeth via iwgwarsaw@yahoo.com.

English Speaking Book Club We meet once a month in Ganders Teahouse (ul. Francuska 12). The meetings provide a good opportunity for stimulating discussions and for those new to Warsaw - a chance of meeting people in a very relaxed setting.

There are no membership fees. For more info, contact: marzena.reich@gmail.com.

Cumann Warszawa Gaelic Football Team Poland’s first Gaelic football team is up and running. The club offers weekly training, competitive games against other European GAA opposition and regular social events and is open to players and members from all nationalities. For more information contact Eoin 518 425 587 or cumannwarszawa@gmail.com.

Dharma Yoga in English. It’s well worth visiting the English/ Polish website for more information on the specific practices of this type of yoga, the offers at hand for first-time students as well as sneaking a peak at the photo journal-

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The English-Speaking Expatriate Business Owners in Poland Association This non-profit association serves a niche group of expatriates within the framework of “expat CEOs helping expat CEOs without business competition getting in-between.”

For further information, please contact Richard Whipple (Founder), tel. 504 346 406.

European Social Democrats in Poland Contact Tim Clapham at tel. 22 624 0470, timclapham@poczta.onet.pl or Jean-Yves Leconte at mob. 0604 960 555, jy.leconte@ assemblee-afe.fr.

COMMUNITY The Ex-Animo Foundation An organization that helps care for young cancer patients at the Children’s Memorial Health Institute - the largest children’s oncology center in Poland. www.exanimo.pl.

Expats-in-Poland.com Forum, news, free legal advice, extensive information and services for foreigners including immigration, work permits, driving licences, renting and buying properties, healthcare, education and more. For more information: www.expats-in-poland.com.

Expatriates Services PFF ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 67/11. Offers services for foreigners coming to Poland, including obtaining residence & work permits, visas, setting up business activities as well as legal services and support for foreign investors and business entities. For more information: tel. 22 828 1501, www.pff-warsaw.com.

Food Banks All thirty food banks operating in Poland deliver food aid to those in need – as many as 5 million people. To donate food or get involved go to www.bankizywnosci.pl.

Foundation for Poland This is a charity organization that reaches out to street children and other youths. They also manage a number of other projects. For more information: www.fdp.org.pl.

Frogs & Co. Warsaw’s expatriate men’s rugby team,

trains Saturdays from 12:00 at Skra Stadium, ul. Wawelska 5. For more information: Christian, mob. 0502 198 782.

activities. Meetings are generally held on the second and fourth Monday of the month.

For more info email iwgwarsaw@yahoo.com.

Fundacja Dziecięca Fantazja Poland’s own “Make-A-Wish Foundation” focus to “light up the lives” of terminally-ill children in Poland by making their fondest wishes and dreams come true. More info at: email: info@f-df.pl, www.f-df.pl.

Italiani in Polonia ul. Dąbrowskiego 82C, tel. 22 845 0652, www.italianiinpolonia.org. The biggest Italian community group in Warsaw. Hosts regular social gatherings, lectures and special events for members.

Fundacja Świętego Mikołaja ul. Przesmyckiego 40, Piaseczno, tel. 22 825 0390. The St. Nicholas Foundation has been contributing funds to needy children and families for over ten years. To support the foundation, wire funds to Volkswagen Bank Polska S.A. 64 2130 0004 2001 0299 9993 0001 (KRS 0000126602). www.mikolaj.org.pl.

The Kurt Scheller Academy (D6) Offers top-standard cooking lessons. For more information: ul. Piękna 68, tel. 22 626 8092, akademia@schelleracademy.com.pl.

Habitat for Humanity International (F11) This is a non-profit organization that helps the working poor build and afford their own houses. For more information: ul. Idzikowskiego 2/16, tel. 22 642 9520, poland@habitat.pl, www.habitat.pl.

International Rotary Club The only English speaking Rotary Club in Warsaw. Visiting Rotarians are welcome to join the weekly meetings held at the Polonia Palace Hotel, Al. Jerozolimskie 45.

For info: tel. 601 897 731.

International Women’s Group of Warsaw Unites expat women in Warsaw and offers cultural, educational and recreational

Mabor Acculturation Services Expatriates feeling a bit of “culture shock” in Poland can find refuge at Mabor. The organization hosts 2-hour meetings led by a trained cultural psychologist that help members with the adaptive acculturation process, providing tools for understanding and accepting a new social environment.

Meetings take place at the end of every month at Mabor headquarters. Cost per session zł.100. For info, contact Anna Osinski at a.osinska@mabor.com.pl.

New Europe Writers Ink (D5) A fellowship of writers creating poetry and prose fiction in English. For more information: ul. Marszałkowska 80, mailbox 151, editor@ new-ink.org, www.new-europe-writers-ink.com.

Pol-in.pl – Professional Expat Assistance Information and services for foreigners >>

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LIFESTYLE >> such as: residence permit, visas, work permit, real estate, money transfer (Western Union), car rental and more. Info: www.pol-in.pl.

Professionals in Warsaw Hosts meetings in the city to link up professionals, those new to Warsaw, or those here for the long haul. For more info contact Andy (mob. 691 535 566) or the group page on Facebook.

St. Patrick’s Foundation www.irishball.pl. The Irish Ball, held on the Saturday closest to St. Patrick’s Day, is legendary in Warsaw as the biggest of the balls. It’s the main annual fund-raiser of the foundation, which distributes the funds raised to various charities over the course of the year.

Talizman The Talizman Foundation is a non-profit registered charity. More info: www.talizman.org.

Taste of the Classics A Taste of the Classics is a classical music, fine art and dinner entertainment, held regularly in prime locations. The events alternate between formal and semi-formal dress and are held in English. Attendance is by invitation and includes dinner and wine.

To request an invitation or for further information please contact Richard Berkeley: berkeley@fnok.pl or tel. 502 965 353.

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Toastmasters International (E5) Toastmasters Polska club invites all to the weekly meetings, to master the art of Public Speaking and presentation skills. Meetings every Wednesday at 19.00 in the Warsaw Stock Exchange, Catalyst room 1st floor, ul.

Książęca 4. Guests are most welcome with no commitment other than a short introduction. More info at toastmasters.org.pl or ring Etan at tel. 696 292 451.

TravelFriends.pl TravelFriends.pl is a community travel portal designed for anyone who’s up for meeting new people, whether it’s searching for travel companions or roommates, finding a partner, spicing up your free time, or just widening your circle of friends. For further information, contact Beata Sieradzka at info@travelfriends.pl. www.travelfriends.pl.

Warsaw Beavers Warsaw’s first expatriate ice hockey team trains Thursday and Sunday nights. For more information, contact Randy Gabrielson 606 247 347 or e-mail to: warsawbeavers@ gmail.com.

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The Warsaw School of Photography A leading private institution in Poland offering photography courses in English for beginners and intermediate, theory, practice and field trips. For more information: www.wsfoto.art. pl/english.

children

Little Chef Cooking classes for children age 4-16. Groups for younger children age 4-10 and Junior Chef courses age 11-16. Kids cook-and-eat healthy meals. Great fun! Classes in English, French and Polish, Mon-Sat. Visit www.littlechef.pl or call 0501 093 691 for more information.

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The Little Gym ul. Bruzdowa 56, tel. 22 842 0728, www.thelittlegym. pl. Over 300 locations worldwide, with the Warsaw one set to open this November.

Expect an age specific fitness curriculum, a high instructor-to-child ratio and a ‘weekly theme to engage the child’s imagination and sense of fun.’

Mums & Tots Brings together expat mothers, toddlers and babies for various activities. For more information: postmaster@mumsandtots.com, www.mumsandtots.com.

houses of worship

Masses held in different languages in Warsaw: English ul. Radna 14, every Sunday, 11:30 (CCD, every Sunday, 10:30) Italian ul. Smoluchowskiego 1, every Sunday, 12:00.

Spanish (D8) ul. Melsztyńska 12, every Sunday, 10:40.

Rev. Robert Campbell, mob. 602 782 497 assistant.chaplain@anglicanchurch.pl, or visit www.anglicanchurch.pl.

The Bahá’i Community of Warsaw (D5) Centrum Narodowe/National Centre, ul. Lanciego 13, tel. 22 353 3717. For more information: www.bahai.org.pl or bahai@ bahai.org.pl.

Beit Warszawa: The Progressive Jewish Congregation Friday Shabbat services at 19:00, weekly lectures, activities and holiday events.

For more information: 22 885 2638; fax 22 885 8982, e-mail: office@beit.org.pl, www.beit-warszawa.org.pl.

Chabad-Lubavitch ul.Słomińskiego 19, tel. 22 637 5352, www.chabad.org.pl. The Outreach Activities of the Chabad-Lubavitch center include adult education classes, Jewish youth programs and a Talmud Torah. The center’s Glatt Kosher Restaurant offers daily Glatt Kosher meals.

Gospel Baptist Church ul. Grochowska 324/8 (Praga), tel. 500 270 990. Services are held in Polish and English. Sun 11:00 (Sunday School and Evangelistic service) and Thurs 19:00. For more information contact: Pastor Paul Sock, mob. 500 270 990, e-mail: paulesock@ yahoo.com. www.gbc-ekb.com.

International Christian Fellowship (E10) Interdenominational services Sunday 17:00 at ul. Puławska 114. For more information: Pastor Roy Taylor at mob. 607 309 490, pastorroy.icf@gmail.com, www.icf-pl.org.

Nożyk Synagogue (C4) ul. Twarda 6, tel. 22 620 0676, 22 620 4324, www.jewish.org.pl. Services Mon-Fri 8:00 and at sunset, Sat and Sun 9:30 and at sunset.

Shabbat dinners Friday at the Youth Centre.

German (E5) ul. Żytna 11, every Sunday,10.30.

Polish Christian Church: Christian Fellowship “North” (F1) Provides services translated into English and German. Sunday school for children aged 3-13, baby and toddler care, youth meetings.

For more information contact Monika Sacewicz at 501 516 589 or www.schpolnoc.pl.

Anglican and Episcopal Church Meets every Sun. at 10:00 in Res Sacra Miser Church (ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 62).

Sunday school during service, refreshments after service. For more information:

St. Paul, the Apostle of the Nations, English Speaking Roman Catholic Parish ul. Radna 14 at the Church of St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Society, Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Miraculous Medal. No

French (D8) ul. Rakowiecka 61, every Sunday, 10:45.

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HEALTH & BEAUTY services Monday. Contact Father Wiesław Dawidowski, mob. 600 384 916, chaplain@catholic.li.pl.

Warsaw Diamond Way Buddhist Center “The Stupa House”, ul. Ożarowska 65/67. Open meditations are held on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 20:00, Fridays

and Sundays at 19:00. In addition, every Friday at 18:00 meetings are held for anyone interested in Diamond Way Buddhism. For more information: tel. 22 877 3408, www.stupahouse.pl.

Warsaw International Church (C2) ul. Miodowa 21, tel. 22 842 2351, pastor@wic.

org.pl, www.wic.org.pl. “A Mainline Church for Today.” English-speaking worship and Sunday School for children.

To be listed in this section, please fax your info to 22 639 8569 or e-mail: insider@ warsawinsider.pl.

Health & Beauty BODY AND MIND

spas & salons

AcuMed Asian Therapies ul. Sempołowska 3, tel. 608 355 100, www.tuina.pl. Qigong – Daoyin – Meditation in small groups. Also offers special exercises for improving physical & mental health and increasing energy.

BodyClinic ul. Oboźna 9 lok. 104, tel. 22 826 1160, www.bodyclinic.pl. Thorough body care for everyone. From the usual options to a huge variety of massages and some very exotic treatments, BodyClinic covers all the bases.

The Cutting House – Exclusive Hairdressing (E5) ul. Wiejska 20, www.cuttinghouse.pl, tel. 22 622 6362. The Cutting Salon has an elegant polish on a contemporary design and a wide variety of celebs, diplomats and your run-of-the-mill fashionista dropping in for a trim or a manicure. You will not be disappointed.

Dior Institute and Dessange Beauty Salon Metropolitan Building, pl. Piłsudskiego 1, tel. 22 331 0808, www.diorinstitut.com.

This sleek boutique offers a state-of-the-art treatment room and professional staff for all your pampering needs.

Fabryka Próżnosci ul.Cecylii Śniegockiej 8 lok.101, tel. 22 312 1909, www.fabrykaproznosci.pl.

Has a full suit of facials, massages (all the main schools are represented); competitive prices, and plenty of English-speaking therapists.

BEST WAWA 2010“Best Spa” Winner

with the farce and make your hair look great.

They also provide manicures and pedicures and even throw in a decent free coffee.

Le Spa (E5) ul. Mokotowska 55, tel. 22 622 9428.

This little island of peace and beauty takes you light-years away from the bustle of Warsaw.

You can be assured to spend a few blissful hours here and then walk out looking incredible.

Multico Wellness & Spa ul. Bitwy pod Rokitną 1 (in Old Żoliborz), tel. 22 869 9631, www.multico.pl. A modern fitness center and gorgeous pool make this a chic place to work out and relax. Now offers spa services and great massages.

Hair-a-Porter (E8) Hotel Hyatt, ul. Belwederska 23, Level -1, tel. 22 558 1555. The friendly staff provides full-service hair and nail treatments for men and women.

Hair Club Warsaw ul. Kruczkowskiego 6, tel. 22 828 0288, www.hairclubwarsaw.pl. Hair Club dispense

Pearl Spa at the InterContinental (C4) ul. Emilii Plater 49, 43 floor, tel. 22 328 8643, www.pearlspa.pl. This bright and full of windows spa has an eclectic menu of “body rituals” – which essentially incorporate Eastern philosophies into their services – such as the Maghreb ritual and Ayurvedic massages.

WARSAW VOLUNTEER MISSION

Halina

H

alina is a single mother trying her best to raise two partly disabled daughters. She previously worked in a pet shop, but has been unable to find employment since it went bankrupt.

She separated from her husband due to his ongoing problems with alcohol, and currently earns a little money by washing stairways. Even so, she has many unpaid bills and is struggling to cope practically and emotionally with her difficult situation.

To help Halina and others like them contact the Warsaw Volunteer Mission, ul. Orzeszkowej 39, tel. 22 499 1880, www.wvm.org.pl. >>

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LIFESTYLE Medical

EMERGENCIES, CLINICS

private clinics

ARUMED Arumed Oriental Medical Center, ul.Noakowskiego 8, tel. 22 825 93 96.

The OMC doctors offer acupuncture, acupressure, herbal medicines, and medical massage for completh health.

Aster Med ul. Sw. Bonifacego 92, tel. 22 858 0354, www.astermed.pl. Aster Med, while billing itself as a center of orthodontics and implantology, is really the full service with 14 dentists and 4 orthodontists and implant surgeons.

Centrum Damiana ul. Wałbrzyska 46, ul. Foksal 3/5, al. K.E.N 103, tel. 22 566 2222, www.damian.com.pl.

Citident ul. Młynarska 26/28, tel. 22 862 4770, www.citident.pl.

Enel-Med Medical Centre Atrium Plaza, Al. Jana Pawła II 29; Arkadia (A1), Al. Jana Pawła II 82; Blue City, Al. Jerozolimskie 179; www.enel.pl General number for information and to schedule an appointment: tel. 022 311 7777.

Eurodental ul. Nowowiejska 37, tel. 22 857 0088, www.eurodental.pl.

Lim Medical Center Al. Jerozolimskie 65/79 (C5), ul. Domaniewska 41, ul. 17-ego Stycznia 49, Al. Jana Pawła II 78, tel. 22 458 7000, www.cmlim.pl.

Lux Med Medical Clinics ul. Racławicka 132b, ul. Chmielna 85/87; ul. Puławska 15; ul. Kopernika 30 (E4); ul. Szernera 3; Al. Jerozolimskie 162; 24hr hotline: 801 800 808, for mobile users: tel. 22 332 2888, www.luxmed.pl.

Medicover Center Atrium, Al. Jana Pawła II 27, ul. Inflancka 5, ul. Bitwy Warszawskiej 1920 r. 18, ul. Domaniewska 37, ul. Puławska 278, ul. Poligonowa 3. Hotline: 19 677 or 500 900 500, Medicover Hospital on Al. Rzeczypospolitej 5 in Wilanów tel. 500 900 900, www.medicover.com.

Vertebralia ul. Postępu 6, tel. 22 449 2828, www. vertebralia.pl. A clinic specializing in the integrated treatment of all kinds of spinal illness. With 20 years of experience, they perform innovative treatments with state-ofthe-art equipment.

24-hour pharmacies Al. Solidarności 149, tel. 22 620 0818. ul. Wilcza 31, tel. 22 834 5804. ul. Grójecka 76, tel. 22 822 2891.

Transportation GETTING AROUND

car rental

Avis (C5) tel. 22 572 6565, fax 22 572 6566, Al. Jerozolimskie 65/79 (Marriott Hotel), tel. 22 650 4872/3.

Reservations: tel. 801 120 010, www.avis.pl.

Besto Relocations ul. Kłobucka 8 /127, tel. 22 847 8878, mob. 514 643 286, warsaw@bestorelocations.com, www.bestorelocations.com. High-quality international relocation services to and from Poland for corporate and individual clients.

Interdean International Relocation ul. Geodetów 172, Piaseczno, tel. 22 701 7171, fax 22 701 7177, warsaw@interdean.com, www.interdean.com. Some 47 offices in 35 countries which facilitate easing the transition across borders.

Hertz Rent a Car Okęcie Airport, ul. Żwirki i Wigury 1, tel. 22 650 2896; mob. 691 411 130. ul.

Nowogrodzka 27 (D5), tel. 22 621 1360.

Reservations: tel. 22 500 1620, 800 143 789.

CorstJens Worldwide Movers Group ul. Nowa 23, Stara Iwiczna, tel. 22 737 7200, www.corstjens.com.

Move One Relocations tel. 22 630 8160, poland@moveonerelo.com, www.moveonerelo.com.

Crown Relocations ul. Krucza 16/22, tel. 22 894 5929 or 22 578 2093, www.crownrelo.com.

travel agency

Sixt Rent a Car ul. Arabska 9, tel. 22 511 1550, 22 511 1555, fax 22 511 1556, ul. Żwirki i Wigury 1, tel. 22 650 2031, fax 022 650 2032, www.sixt.pl.

Trust Rent a Car (C12) ul. Konstruktorska 4, mob. 0602 475 355, www.trustrentacar.pl.

relocation companies AGS Warsaw ul. Julianowska 37, Piaseczno, tel. 22 702-1072, fax 022 702-1077, www.ags-worldwide-movers.com.

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DuX Consulting Agency ul. Panieńska 9/17, tel. 22 670 4280, www.duxconsulting.com.pl.

Express Relocations ul. Szyszkowa 35/37, tel. 22 878 3539, www.expressrelocations.com.

Euro Move International Movers ul. Kineskopowa 1, Piaseczno, tel. 22 716 5566, moving@euromove.pl, www.euromove.pl.

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FCm Travel Express al. Jana Pawła II 19, tel. 22 453 5353, travelexpress.pl.

taxis

Ele Taxi tel. 22 811 11 11 Grosik Taxi tel. 22 6464646 Merc tel. 22 677 7777 MPT tel. 22 1919 Sawa tel. 22 644 4444 Super Taxi tel. 22 19622 Volfra tel. 22 19625 Wawa tel. 22 19644

MEDICAL/TRANSPORTATION/EDUCATION Education

PRESCHOOLS AND SCHOOLS

polish for foreigners

Academia Polonica (C5) Al. Jerozolimskie 55 loc.15, tel. 22 629 9311, www.academia-polonica.com.pl. Offers a choice of special programs such as: Polish in Business, General Polish Language, Polish for Academics and Polish for Professionals.

Akademia PFF (H4) ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 67/11, tel. 501 299 338, www.pff-warsaw.com, email: info@ pff-warsaw.com. Akademia PFF offers a wide range of Polish courses for foreigners at low cost in-company or other convenient locations. Professional and friendly tutors with effective teaching styles.

Private and small-group classes available on a variety of levels for competitive prices.

Professional, friendly and dedicated instructors. They even offer a free trial lesson.

Info: www.linguapolonica.com.pl. Email: linguapolonica@linguapolonica.com.pl.

preschools

ABC Play & Learn (H5) ul. Genewska 27, Saska Kępa, tel. 22 616 2066, www.abc.org.pl. Located in the leafy residential district of Saska Kępa, ABC Play & Learn provides a creative and educational space for small children, with capacious play rooms filled with toys and hands-on materials.

Edu & More ul. Marszałkowska 87 lok. 81, tel. 22 622 1441, www.eduandmore.com. Business & everyday Polish. Full-time courses and innovative courses of Polish online.

Experience, good location & price friendly.

Students of full-time courses get online course for free.

Bilingual French – Polish Preschool “Trampoline” ul. Zakopiańska 12a (Saska Kępa) and ul. Skrzetuskiego 17 (Mokotów),mob.

0502 355 919, www.trampoline.edu.pl.

This preschool has a lingual profile and offers bilingual teaching with French and English.

They received the European Label Certificate for innovative foreign language teaching.

Lingua Polonica Lingua Polonica offers general Polish language classes, Polish for business and Polish for diplomacy. Individual learning programs are tailored to the needs of individual clients.

The British School Early Years Centre ul. Dąbrowskiego 84 (Early Years Centre), tel.

22 646 7777; ul. Limanowskiego 15 (Primary, Secondary, IB Diploma program), tel. 22 842-3281; www.thebritishschool.pl. The

British School provides special classes from the pre-nursery group – including children from preschool through secondary school.

Canadian School of Warsaw – Preschool (C11) ul. Kalatówki 24, tel. 22 898 3139, 697 979 100. The pre-school branch of the Canadian School of Warsaw provides both Polish and International 3-5 year olds with the perfect setting for their first encounters with English and French in an inquiry based classroom. Here, every task relates to real life experience and skills. In addition to a rich, international curriculum, the pre-school offers a wide range of extra-curricular activities such as dance, swimming, capoeira, karate and pottery. For further info, tours and school visits please call or email: preschool@canadian-school.pl.

Casa dei Bambini & Toddler School (multiple locations) Warsaw Montessori School ul. Badowska 19 (Mokotów), tel. 22 851 6893; ul. Szkolna 16 (Izabelin), tel. 22 721 8736, office@warsawmontessori. edu.pl, www.warsawmontessori.edu.pl.

Warsaw Montessori and Casa dei Bambini have 3 green and harmonious locations in Mokotów and Izabelin. The school in Izabelin is set in the quiet of the Kampinos Forest just outside the city. Teachers are fully trained in earlychildhood education in English according to the Montessori philosophy. Registration open to children 2 1/2 to 6 years of age. Call to make an appointment to tour any of the 3 schools.

Ecole Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (H4) ul. Nobla 16, Saska Kępa, tel 22 616 1499, www.saint-exupery.pl.

Established in 1994, the Antoine de SaintExupery preschool and school provides a French curriculum for children 2 to 7 years old (2nd year of primary school). Highly qualified native French-speaking teachers. Welcoming family atmosphere.

The English Playhouse (F12) ul. Płyćwiańska 14a & ul. Rzodkiewki 18, tel. 22 843 9370, www.theenglishplayhouse. >>

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LIFESTYLE >> com. The English Playhouse functions in the quiet, green residential district of Mokotów, next to Królikarnia Park. The pre-school follows the English National Curriculum and accepts children from 12 months till six years old. Now with an additional location in Wilanów which includes a new, purpose-built pre-school building with a huge garden for children up to six years of age. For info call Agnieszka Weston on 604 464 333 or email: office@theenglishplayhouse.com.

The European Bilingual Preschool ul. Chłapowskiego 1, tel. 22 644 1514, mob.

0605 561 514, info@preschool.waw.pl, www.preschool.waw.pl.

HAPPY HOME Childcare ul. Okrężna 23, Konstancin-Jeziorna, tel. 22 717 5513, fax 22 717 5145, mob. 608 369 269, 501 495 543, preschool@happy-home.pl, www.happyhomechildcare.eu. An international preschool located in Konstancin, close to the American School of Warsaw. Ideal childcare facility for children aged 16 months to 5 years. “Happy Home is Your Home” is their motto, aiming to combine a family atmosphere with education, promote the harmonious development of children through play and getting to know themselves and the world.

Happy Montessori House Warsaw Montessori Pre-school, ul. Rumiana 14, tel. 22 427 3767, mob. 697 060 504, www.hmh.com.pl. The Happy Montessori House offers part-time and full-time places

for children aged between 2.5 to 6 years, as well as toddler-focused activities (from 18 months to 3 years) centered around movement, sensorial stimulation, storytelling, singing and socialising. Children are given ample time and opportunity to explore and work at their own pace and in their own learning style, with a focus on global education according to the world-famous Montessori philosophy.

International American School ul. Dembego 18, tel. 22 649 1440 or 603 952 955, www.ias.edu.pl, email: secretary@ias.edu.pl. The International American School of Warsaw provides pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade education based on a dual diploma system for IB and Polish curricula. Accredited by the Polish Ministry of Education, Northwest Association of Accredited Schools and IB Organization. 5:1 student/faculty ratio and extensive extracurricular activities.

International Preschool (E11) ul. Zawrat 14, tel. 22 843 0964, preschool@ preschool.pl, www.preschool.pl. Serving the children of American Embassy and non-embassy families for over 50 years, the International Preschool of Warsaw is located in the heart of Mokotów district.

La Fontaine Polish-French Pre-School ul. Rolna 177, Mokotów, tel.22 843 4241 & ul. Pogonowskiego 19, Żoliborz, tel. 0 502 051 360, www.lafontaineprzedszkole.pl.

This preschool has a Polish-French profile

and offers bilingual teaching.

Mama Marta’s Toddlers Centre Mama Marta’s Toddlers Centre is an English-speaking play and learn group in Old Mokotów, dedicated to infants 16 months to 3 years of age. It offers a gentle introduction to nursery education. Contact: marta. cross@neostrada.pl, mob. 607 704 396.

Maple Leaf Preschool ul. Żołny 16, tel. 22 644 2326, office@canadianschool.edu.pl, www.canadianschool.edu.pl. Polish-Canadian Preschool with two locations on the outskirts of Warsaw, ul. Czereśniowa 31a, WarszawaWłochy, tel. 22 863 7756 and ul. Żołny 16, tel. 644 23 26, mob. 501 251 414.

Międzynarodowa Szkoła Podstawowa Argonaut ul. Radarowa 6, tel. 504 509 504, www.argonaut.edu.pl. This elementary school is open for children of all nationalities and backgrounds. It places a focus on learning English as well as additional languages, and has an attractive list of available extracurricular activities.

Montessori Academy for International Children ul. Królewicza Jakuba 36 (Wilanów) ul. Sadowa 4 (Konstancin), tel. 502 315 022, www.montessoriacademy. eu. An English-speaking pre-school (16 months to 6 years of age) with two locations.

FREE INTRODUCTORY CLASS

www.thelittlegym.pl

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EDUCATION The school’s policy is to comply with Montessori standards, using the Montessori Method in English. The school’s philosophy is based on the joy of learning, which comes from discovering and furthering the individual development of each child. Offers extracurricular activities, such as: art, dance, yoga, football and summer art & sport camps.

schools

American School of Warsaw ul. Warszawska 202, Konstancin-Jeziorna, tel. 22 702 8500, fax 022 702 8500, admissions@aswarsaw.org, www.aswarsaw.org. The American School of Warsaw provides comprehensive programs and facilities based on a US system of education for ages 4 to 18.

The British School ul. Limanowskiego 15, tel. 22 842 3281, british@thebritishschool.pl, www.thebritishschool.pl. Top-ranking private school in Warsaw with comprehensive programs and facilities based on the British system of education.

Canadian School of Warsaw – Primary School Unit ul. Bełska 7, tel. 22 646 9289, 697 970 244.

The Canadian School of Warsaw provides a continuum of IB-based education for 6-10

year olds. Highly qualified, international staff, challenging materials and a friendly atmosphere provides for an optimal setting for the highest standard of education. Extra-curricular activities include pottery, dance, ballet, capoeira, karate, emotional intelligence, art studio and tennis. For further info, tours and school visits please call or email: secretary@ canadian-school.pl.

Canadian School of Warsaw – Middle and High School Unit ul. Olimpijska 20, tel. 697 977 600, 697 979 300. The Middle and High unit of the Canadian School of Warsaw provides a continuum of IB-based education for 11-19 year olds. With both Canadian and Polish curricula content students are given the opportunity to choose between Polish Matura or IB Diploma exams. International staff, cultural events and challenging student initiatives create a perfect learning and creative thinking environment. For further info, tours and school visits please call or email: mid.high@ canadian-school.pl.

Ecole Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (H4) ul. Nobla 16. Saska Kępa tel 22 616-14-99 www.saint-exupery.pl First Montessori curriculum in French in Warsaw. The Antoine de Saint-Exupéry preschool is opening in

September 2011 a Montessori classroom for children from 2 years old.

International American School ul. Dembego 18, tel. 22 649 1440, 649 1442 or 0603 952 955, www.ias.edu.pl, email: secretary@ias.edu.pl. The International American School of Warsaw provides pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade education based on a dual diploma system for IB and Polish curricula. Accredited by the Polish Ministry of Education, Northwest Association of Accredited Schools and IB Organization.

International European School ul. Wiertnicza 75, tel. 22 842 4448, ies@ ies-warsaw.pl. In operation since 2002 the International European School teaches the Polish National Curriculum in English language to both primary and mid-school level.

La Fontaine Polish-French Primary Schoolul. Okrężna 95, Mokotów, tel. 22 885 0020, www.lafontaine. edu.pl. The school has a Polish-French profile and offers bilingual teaching for children aged from 6 to 12 years old.

Warsaw Montessori School (G7) ul. Szwoleżerów 4, tel. 22 841 3908, sylvia@warsawmontessori.edu.pl, www.warsawmontessori.edu.pl. Focuses on the Montessori curriculum with an education based on the integration of conceptual learning and real-life experiences.

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STREET INDEX 1 Sierpnia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A11 3 Maja al. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F4 29 Listopada . . . . . . . . . . . . G7 Adampolska . . . . . . . . . . . . . H3 Agrykola . . . . . . . . . . . . E6, F6-7 Akacjowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C8-9 Angorska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H3 Anielewicza . . . . . . . . . . .A2-B1 Armii Ludowej al. . . . .C-D7, E-F6 Asfaltowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C8-9 Asnyka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A6, B6 Baboszewska . . . . . . . . . . .C10 Bacciarellego . . . . . . . . . . . . .E7 Bachmacka . . . . . . . . . . . . .C10 Baczyńskiego . . . . . . . . . . . .D4 Badowska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G8 Bagatela . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E7 Bagno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C4 Bajońska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H5 Baleya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A10 Balladyny . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C9 Balonowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C10 Bałuckiego . . . . . . . . . . . .E9-10 Banacha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A8 Bandoski . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F10 Barokowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C2 Barska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A6 Bartoszewicza . . . . . . . . . . . . .E3 Bartoszka . . . . . . . . . . . . .G-H10 Bartycka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H7 Batorego . . . . . . . . . . . .C8, D7-8 Batumi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H12 Bednarska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D-E2 Beethovena . . . . . . . . . . . . .G10 Belgijska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E9 Belwederska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E8 Bełska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C11 Berezyńska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G4 Biała . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B3 Białoskórnicza . . . . . . . . . .D-E2 Białostocka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1 Biały Kamień . . . . . . . . . . . . .B8 Bielawska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E10 Blaszana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E1 Bliska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H1-2 Bluszczańska . . . . . . . . . . . . .H8 bł.Władysława . . . . . . . . . . . .B6 Bobrowiecka . . . . . . . . . . . . .G9 Boczna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D2 Boleść . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D1 Bonifraterska . . . . . . . . . . . . .C1 Boryszewska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E9 Boya-Żeleńskiego . . . . . . . . .E7 Braci Pilatich . . . . . . . . . . .E9-10 Bracka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D4 Browarna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E3 Bruna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C8 Bryły . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D12 Brzeska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G1 Brzozowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F12 Bugaj . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D1 Bukietowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D11 Bukowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F12 Bukszpanowa . . . . . . . . . . . .F12 Buraczana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G12 Burgaska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G12 Bytnara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C11 Canaletta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C2 Chałubińskiego . . . . . . . . . . .C5 Chełmska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G9 Chłodna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-B3 Chmielna . . . . . . . . . . .B-C5, D4 Chocimska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E8 Chodkiewicza . . . . . . . . . . .C8-9 Chopina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E6 Ciasna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C1 Ciepła . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B4 Cisowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F12 Corazziego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C2 Cybulskiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G9 Czackiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D3 Czarnomorska . . . . . . . . . . .G12 Czeczota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D10 Czerniakowska . . . . . . . . .G6, F5 Czerska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G9 Czerwijowskiego . . . . . . . . . .E6 Czeska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G4 Czubatki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C7 Daleka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B6 Daniłowiczowska . . . . . . . . . .C2 Dantyszka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B6 Dąbrowiecka . . . . . . . . . . . . .G4 Dąbrowskiego . . . . . . . . . .C9-10 Dąbrówki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H3 Defilad pl. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C4 Długa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C2 Dmochowskiego . . . . . . . . . . .F5 Dobra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E3 Dolańskiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C1

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Dolna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F9 Domaniewska . . . . . . . . . . .D12 Dożynkowa . . . . . . . . . .D9, E10 Dragonów . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G7 Drużynowa . . . . . . . . . . . .D9-10 Dubois . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B1 Dworkowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E9 Dynasy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E3 Dzielna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-B2 Dzika . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A1 Elektoralna . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-C3 Emilii Plater . . . . . . . . . . . . .C4-5 Esperanto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A2 Estońska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G4 Etiudy Rewolucyjnej . . . .B10-11 Fabryczna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F5 Falęcka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D9 Fałata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C8-9 Filona . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D12 Filtrowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C6 Finlandzka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G3 Fińska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C7 Floriańska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1 Flory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E7 Foksal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E4 Franciszkańska . . . . . . . . . . . .C1 Francuska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H4 Frascati . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E5 Fredry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D3 Freta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C1 Frycza-Modrzewskiego . . . . .H1 Furmańska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D2 Gagarina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F-G8 Gallijska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H3 Gałczyńskiego . . . . . . . . . . . .E4 Gamerskiego . . . . . . . . . . . . .C2 Gandhiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D10 Garażowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C11 Gen. Andersa . . . . . . . .B1, C1-2 Genewska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H5 Gierymskiego . . . . . . . . . .F9-10 Gimnastyczna . . . . . . . . . . .B10 Giżyckiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E11 Glogera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A7 Głogowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C11 Głucha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H2 Gołkowska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H11 Gomulickiego . . . . . . . . . . . . .C1 Goszczyńskiego . . . . . . . . . .D10 Goworka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E8 Górskiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D4 Górnickiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C6 Górnośląska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F5 Górska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F9 Graniczna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C3 Grażyny . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E9 Grodzka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D2 Grottgera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E9 Grójecka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A6 Gruzińska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H4 Grzesiuka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H10 Grzybowska . . . . . . . . . A-B4, C3 Hańczy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G10 Hipoteczna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C2 Hoene-Wrońskiego . . . . . . .F5-6 Hoffmanowej . . . . . . . . . . . . .A7 Hołówki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G8 Hoża . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-D5 Hrubieszowska . . . . . . . . . . .A4 Huculska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E9 Humańska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E8 Idzikowskiego . . . . . . . . . . . .F11 Iłżecka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A11-12 Imielińska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F11 Inspektowa . . . . . . . . . .F12, G11 Irlandzka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H3-4 Iwicka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G8-9 Jagiellońska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1 Jaktorowska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A4 Jakubowska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G3 Jałtańska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H12 Jana Pawła II al. . . . . . .A1, B2-4 Jana Sobieskiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F10, G10-11, H12 Jankowska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A10 Jaracza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F3 Jasielska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A9 Jasińskiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E1 Jasna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D3 Jaszowiecka . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H11 Jaworowska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F10 Jazdów . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E6 Jazgarzewska . . . . . . . . . . . . .F9 Jedwabnicza . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G9 Jerozolimskie al. . . . .B-C5, D-F4 Jezierskiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F6 Jezuicka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D1 Joliot Curie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D11 Joselewicza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H1

Joteyki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A6 Kacza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A3 Kalatówki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E11 Kaliska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A6 Kamionkowska . . . . . . . . . . .H2 Kapucyńska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D2 Karłowicza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C9 Karmelicka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B2 Karolkowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A4 Karowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D2-3 Karwińska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C10 Katowicka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H4 Kaukaska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G12 Kawalerii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F-G6 Kazimierzowska . . . . . . . . . . .D9 Kępna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1 Kielecka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C8-9 Kierbedzia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G10 Kijowska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G1 Kilińskiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C1 Klonowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E7 Kłopotowskiego . . . . . . . . . . .F1 Kolberga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D11 Komedy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D8 Konduktorska . . . . . . .E9, F9-10 Konopnickiej . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E5 Konstancińska . . . . . . . . .H11-12 Konstruktorska . . . . . . . . .B-C12 Konwiktorska . . . . . . . . . . . . .C1 Kopernika . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E4 Korczyńska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H11 Korzeniowskiego . . . . . . . . . .A7 Kostrzewskiego . . . . . . . . . .E10 Koszykowa . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-D6 Kościelna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C1 Kotlarska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A4 Kozia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D2 Kozłowskiej . . . . . . . . . . .G-H10 Koźla . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C1 Koźmińska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F5 Krakowskie Przedmieście . . . . . . . .D2-3 Krasickiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E11 Krasnołęcka . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G9 Kraushara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D9 Kredytowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D3 Kręta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E-F9 Krochmalna . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B3 Kromera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B6 Krowia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1 Królewska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-D3 Królowej Aldony . . . . . . . . . . .H4 Króżańska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D9 Krucza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D4-5 Kruczkowskiego . . . . . . . . .E3-4 Krymska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H12 Kryniczna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H5 Krzywickiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C6 Krzywopoboczna . . . . . . . . . .D2 Ks. Poniatowskiego al. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F4, G3 Ksawerów . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D2 Książęca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E5 Księcia Trojdena . . . . . . . . . . .A8 Kubańska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H5 Kubusia Puchatka . . . . . . . . .D4 Kwiatowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D9 Langego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C12 Lądowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F8 Lekarska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C6 Lenartowicza . . . . . . . . . . .D-E11 Lennona . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E6 Leszno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A3 Leszowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C7 Lewartowskiego . . . . . . . . . . .B1 Lewicka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D9 Ligocka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D9 Limanowskiego . . . . . . . . . .H11 Lindleya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B5 Lipska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H3 Lipskiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C10 Lisieckiego “Dziadka” al. . . .E1 Litewska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E7 Lorenza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E4 Lubelska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G-H1 Lubkowska . . . . . . . . . . . . .G8-9 Ludna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F4 Ludowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E9 Lwowska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D6 Łazienkowska . . . . . . . . . . .F-G6 Łęczycka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B6 Łomnicka . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D8-9 Łotewska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G4 Łowicka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C8-9 Łucka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B4 Łużycka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G8 Łyżwiarska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C9 Mackiewicza . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G1 Madalińskiego . . . . . . . . . . . .C9 Magazynowa . . . . . . . . . . . .C12 Maklakiewicza . . . . . . . . . . .B11 Malawskiego . . . . . . . . . . . . .B11 Malczewskiego . . . . . . . . . .D10 Mangalia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G11 Maratońska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C10 Marcinkowskiego . . . . .F1-2, G1 Markowska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G1 Marszałkowska . . . .C3-4, D4-5 Marzanny . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C11 Maszyńskiego . . . . . . . . . . . . .E5 Matejki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E5 Mazowiecka . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D3

Wa r s a wInsider: I n s i d e01-30 r : 0 1 November – 3 1 M a r ch 2011 Warsaw 2011

Meksykańska . . . . . . . . . . . . .H4 Melsztyńska . . . . . . . . . . . .D-E8 Melomanów . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H8 Merliniego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E10 Miączyńska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B11 Miechowska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F5 Miecznikowa . . . . . . . . . . . . .A7 Miedziana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B5 Miła . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A1-2, B1 Miłobędzka . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B10 Miodowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-D2 Młocińska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A1 Młynarskiego . . . . . . . . . . . . .D4 Mochnackiego . . . . . . . . . . . .A7 Modzelewskiego . . . . . . . . .D11 Mokotowska . . . . . . . . .D6, E5-6 Moliera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D2 Mołdawska . . . . . . . . . . . .A9-10 Moniuszki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D4 Morskie Oko . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E9 Mostowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-D1 Myśliwiecka . . . . . . . . . . . . .F5-6 Na Skarpie . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E4-5 Nabielaka . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F8-9 Nalewki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B1 Narbutta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C9 Naruszewicza . . . . . . . . . .D-E11 Natolińska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D-E6 Nehru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G8 Neseberska . . . . . . . . . . . . .G12 Niecała . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C3 Niekłańska . . . . . . . . . . . . .H3-4 Niemcewicza . . . . . . . . . . . . .A6 Niepodległości al. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C6-8, D9-12, E12 Niska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-B1 Noakowskiego . . . . . . . . . . . .D6 Nobla . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H4 Nowiniarska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C1 Nowińska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H1 Nowotarska . . . . . . . . . . . . .F-G9 Nowogrodzka . . . . . . . . . . .B-D5 Nowolipie . . . . . . . . . . .A3, B2-3 Nowolipki . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-B2 Nowomiejska . . . . . . . . . . . . .D1 Nowosielecka . . . . . . . . . . . . .G8 Nowowiejska . . . . . . . . . .C6, D6 Nowy Przejazd . . . . . . . . . . . .D2 Nowy Świat . . . . . . . . . . . . .D-E4 Nullo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E5 Nurska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H4 Oboźna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D-E3 Obrońców . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H4 Obserwatorów . . . . . . . . . . . .F11 Oczki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C5 Odolańska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D-E9 Odyńca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-E10 Ogrodowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-B3 Okolska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E10 Okopowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A1-2 Okólnik . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E4 Okrąg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F4-5 Okrzei . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1 Oleandrów . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D7 Olesińska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E9 Olimpijska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B10 Olkuska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E10 Olszowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E1 Ondraszka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B7 Opoczyńska . . . . . . . . . . . .C8-9 Ordynacka . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D-E4 Orężna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H12 Orla . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C3-4 Orłowicza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F4-5 Orzechowska . . . . . . . . . . . . .B6 Ossolińskich . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D3 Oszczepników . . . . . . . . . . .B10 Padewska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E-F9 Panieńska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E1 Pankiewicza . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C5 Pańska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C4 Parkingowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D5 Parkowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E-F8 Paryska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H5 Pasteura . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A7 Paszyna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A2 Pawia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-B2 Pereca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B4 Piaseczyńska . . . . . . . . . . . . .F11 Piekałkiewicza . . . . . . . . .G-H10 Piesza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C1 Piękna . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D6, E5-6 Pilicka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D10-11 Piłkarska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D9-10 Piwarskiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F10 Piwna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D1-2 pl. Bankowy . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C2 pl. Defilad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C4 pl. Grzybowski . . . . . . . . . .C3-4 pl. Konstytucji . . . . . . . . . . . .D6 pl. Na Rozdrożu . . . . . . . . . . .E6 pl. Narutowicza . . . . . . . . . . .A6 pl. Piłsudskiego . . . . . . . . . . .D3 pl. Teatralny . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D2 pl. Trzech Krzyży . . . . . . . . . . .E5 pl. Unii Lubelskiej . . . . . . . . .E7 pl. Zawiszy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B5 pl. Zbawiciela . . . . . . . . . . . . .D6 pl. Żelaznej Bramy . . . . . . . . .C3 Platynowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B5 Płatowcowa . . . . . . . . . . . . .B10 Pługa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A7

Płyćwiańska . . . . . . . . . . . . .F12 Pod Kopcem . . . . . . . . . . . .H7-8 Pod Skocznią . . . . . . . . . . . .F12 Podchorążych . . . . . . . . . . .F-G8 Podwale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D1-2 Pogorzelskiego . . . . . . . . . . . .A7 Polkowska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G9 Polna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D6-7, E7 Pory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G11-12 Poselska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H4 Postępu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B12 Potockiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F4 Powsińska . . . . . . . . . . . .H10-11 Poznańska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D5 Praski Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E1 Promenada . . . . . . . . . . . . .E-F9 Prosta . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A4-5, B4 Próżna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C3 Prusa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E5 Pruszkowska . . . . . . . . . . . . .A9 Przechodnia . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C3 Przemysłowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F6 Przyokopowa . . . . . . . . . . . .A4-5 Przystaniowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F4 Ptasia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-C3 Puławska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E8-12 Pułku Baszta . . . . . . . . . . . . .C11 Pytlasińskiego . . . . . . . . . . .E-F9 Racjonalizacji . . . . . . . . . .B11-12 Racławicka . . . . . . . .A-B10, D10 Radomska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A7 Rakowiecka . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-D8 Raperswilska . . . . . . . . . . . . .H5 Raszyńska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B6 Ratuszowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E1 Reja . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B7 Rejtana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E8 Rektorska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D6 Rokitnicka . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B7-8 rondo Daszyńskiego . . . . .A4-5 rondo De Gaulle’a . . . . . . . . .E4 rondo Dmowskiego . . . . . .D4-5 rondo Jazdy Polskiej . . . . . . .D7 rondo ONZ . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-C4 rondo Radosława . . . . . . . . . .A1 rondo Waszyngtona . . . . . . .H3 Rostafińskich . . . . . . . . . . . . .B8 Rozbrat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F5-6 Róż al. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E6 Różana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D-E9 Różyckiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C9 Rudawska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B6 Rychlińskiego . . . . . . . . . . .C-D7 Rynek Starego Miasta . . . . . .D1 Rysia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C3 Samochodowa . . . . . . . .C11-12 Sandomierska . . . . . . . . . .D-E8 Sanocka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A9 Sapieżyńska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C1 Saska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H3-4 Schillera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C2 Sempołowskiej . . . . . . . . . . .E6 Senatorska . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-D2 Sewerynów . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E3 Sędziowska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C6 Sękocińska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A6 Sielecka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E8-9 Sienkiewicza . . . . . . . . . . . . .D4 Sienna . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B4-5, C4 Sikorskiego al. . . . . . . . . . . .G12 Sikorskiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F9 Skaryszewska . . . . . . . . . . . . .G1 Skaryszewski Park . . . . . . . . .H3 Skłodowskiej-Curie . . . . . . . .A7 Skorupki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D5 Słoneczna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E8 Słupecka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A6 Służewska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E6 Smocza . . . . . . . . . . . . .A1-2, B2 Smolna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E4 Smulikowskiego . . . . . . . . . . .F3 Sobieszyńska . . . . . . . . . .F9-10 Soczi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H12 Sokola . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F3-G3 Solariego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C6 Solec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E3 Solidarności al. . . .A3, B2-3, C2 Sozopolska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G12 Spacerowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E8 Spartańska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B11 Spiska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-B6 Sprzeczna . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G1-2 Srebrna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B5 Stanka al. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F5 Stara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D1 Starościńska . . . . . . . . . . . . .D8 Stawki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-B1 Stępińska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F8-9 Stopowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F9 Styki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H4 Suligowskiego . . . . . . . . . .G7-8 Sulkiewicza . . . . . . . . . . . . .E-F8 Syryńska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C11 Szara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F5 Szarotki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E10 Szczuczyńska . . . . . . . . . . . . .H5 Szczygla . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E4 Szkolna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D3-4 Szpitalna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D4 Szucha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E7 Śliska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-C4 Śniadeckich . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D6

Śniegockiej . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F5 Św. A. Boboli . . . . . . . . . . . . .C9 Św. Barbary . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D5 Św. Bonifacego . . . . . . . . . .H12 Św. Franciszka . . . . . . . . . . .F3-4 Świętojańska . . . . . . . . . . . .D1-2 Świętojerska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C1 Świętokrzyska . . . . . . .C4, D3-4 Tagore’a R. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C10 Tamka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E3 Tarczyńska . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-B6 Targowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F-G1 Tatrzańska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F9 Teresińska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G10 Tłomackie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C2 Tokarzewskiego . . . . . . . . . . .D3 Towarowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A4-5 Trasa Łazienkowska . . .E-F6, G5 Trasa W-Z . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C2 Traugutta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D3 Trębacka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D2 Trybunalska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C6 Turecka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F9 Turystyczna . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B10 Tuwima . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D4 Twarda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B4-5 Tyniecka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E10 Ujazdowskie al. . . . . . . . . . .E5-6 Urle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G11 Ursynowska . . . . . . . . . . . .D-E10 Walecznych . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H4 Waliców . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B3-4 Wał Miedzyszyński . . .G4-5, H5 Wałowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C1 Wandy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H5 Warecka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D4 Warneńska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G12 Warszewickiego . . . . . . . . . . .B6 Waryńskiego . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D7 Waszyngtona . . . . . . . . . . . . .H3 Wawelska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B7 Wąchocka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H5 Wersalska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H5-6 Węglarska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A6 Węgrzyna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G10 Widok . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D4 Wiadukt Markiewicza . . . . . .D3 Wiejska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E5 Wielicka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E12 Wierzbickiego . . . . . . . . . . . . .C6 Wierzbowa . . . . . . . . . .C2, D2-3 Wiktorska . . . . . .C10, D9-10, E9 Wilanowska . . . . . . . . . . . . .F4-5 Wilcza . . . . . . . . . . .C6, D5-6, E5 Willowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E8 Winnicka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A7 Wioślarska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F4 Wiśniowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D8-9 Witosa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G10-11 Włoska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F9-10 Wodna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D1 Wolicka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H9 Wolnej Wszechnicy . . . . . . A7-8 Wolność . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A3 Wolska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A4 Wołoska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C12 Woronicza . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-E11 Wronia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A3-4 Wrotkowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C9 Wrzesińska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1 Wspólna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D5 Wybrz. Kościuszkowskie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E2-3, F3 Wybrzeże Szczecińskie . . .E-F2 Wygodna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E9 Wyzwolenia al. . . . . . . . . . . . .E6 Zagórna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F-G5 Zajączkowska . . . . . . . . . . .E-F8 Zakopiańska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H5 Zakrzewska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G9 Zamenhofa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B2 Zamojskiego . . . . . . . . . . . .F-G2 Zawrat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E11 Ząbkowska . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F-G1 Zbierska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F9 Zdrojowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H12 Zgoda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D4 Zieleniecka al. . . . . . . . . . . .G2-3 Zielna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C3 Zimorowicza . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B6 Złota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-C4 Złotych Piasków . . . . . . . . . .G12 Zwierzyniecka . . . . . . . . . . . .G8 Zwycięzców . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H4 Żelazna . . . . . . . . . . . . .A3, B3-5 Żuławskiego . . . . . . . . . . . . .B11 Żupnicza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .H1 Żurawia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D5 Żwirki i Wigury . . . . . . . . . .A8-11 Żytnia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A3 Żywnego . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E11 Źródłowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D2

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l. Limanowskiego 15 u 02-943 Warszawa T: +48 22 843 81 31 F: +48 22 842 81 65 E: admissions@thebritishschool.pl W: www.thebritishschool.pl 11-08-24 08:35

Żaryna Żaryna

Kulskiego Kulskiego

ChoCdhkod łyiaKłyam kieicwzaic BiaB iew Kaiem za ńień

BOOK EXCERPT

SHORTCUTS TO POLAND

“Shhhhhhh!,” another chapter in our monthly series from the 3rd edition. Available at the American Bookstore. BY LAURA KLOS SOKOL

D

uring a dead-still traffic jam, I sat in a car with a Polish friend who fell silent, obviously irritated with our immobility. I felt compelled to fill up the weighty silence with lively and entertaining chatter. But since I was tired and grumpy too, my noble efforts resulted in empty blather. She finally turned to me and said gently, “If you don’t feel like talking, you don’t have to.” Caught! Red-handed!

Making filler small talk. It would have been okay to say nothing. But as an American, I find that even three or four seconds of silence in the presence of another seems like a tortured eternity.

Different cultures regard silence in different ways. Most Western cultures prefer talk over silence, but in Northern European and American Indian cultures, for example, silence can be positive. And of course, silence between couples or good friends can be a sign of intimacy.

Poles, like Americans, value conversation highly, but I have observed some subtle differences between the two groups regarding silence.

At an American dinner party, if the table falls silent when food is served, it’s not uncommon to hear someone say, “Oh, now it’s quiet, everybody is eating,” simultaneously apologiz-

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ing for and filling in the empty social space. A skilled host or hostess will prevent silence by “keeping up” the conversation. This is regarded as social success—a person who always has something to say.

Brief silences during conversation do not seem to pose as great a threat to Poles. The other night with several Poles, one of these short conversational lulls occurred between topics.

To me it was a long spooky pause but when I caught the hostess’s eye, she just smiled; it wasn’t a social calamity.

People may gather their thoughts (and light a cigarette, take a drink) without pressure to fill in the brief conversational gap.

As one Pole put it, “Poles are not as skilled as Americans at making friendly noises,” but I disagree.

Among Poles, it’s acceptable that people not have something to say every second of time spent together— a rather intimate notion. The Polish pace of conversation seems to vary more; a lot of overlapped talk, excited interruptions and sometimes a short lull, as opposed to the more regular stream of talk that Americans feel comfortable sustaining.

I asked an American if he thought Poles were more tolerant of silence than Americans and he responded, “Gosh, I don’t know; if there’s a lapse

Warsaw Insider: 01-30 November 2011

in conversation, I always try to fill it up.” Bingo. I believe Americans have a lower tolerance for breaks in conversation. Quiet signals the brink of social failure. Pauses longer than even one second can cause uneasiness, so before it becomes unbearable, we quickly stuff some talk into the conversational crack to avert social disaster.

Poles seem to tolerate a slightly larger gap in talk before it becomes necessary to shovel in the chatter.

In The Power of Silence, sociolinguist Adam Jaworski gives some advice regarding what we experience as awkward pauses: “Communicators should not avoid uncomfortable moments in conversation, but should learn to be comfortable with them and use them to find really important points in conversation.” He also advises refraining from what might be “uncomfortable talk.”

Jaworski also notes the different expressions for silence in the Polish language. For example, być cicho (to be silent) signals the absence of general sound which is different from the verb for the absence of speech, milczeć (to be silent or to refrain from speaking), something my traffic-jam partner in the car that day wished to experience in my presence. I think in English we would refer to such a situation using the verb “to shut up.”